Spurs must not lose sight of bigger picture after Victor Wembanyama injury news

Mere weeks after acquiring a new franchise point guard, the San Antonio Spurs have received a devastating update. Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Signs seemingly point toward the Spurs prioritizing the NBA Draft, but there's another issue that must be acted upon to maximize the final third of the regular season.

San Antonio playing without Wembanyama will leave a colossal void in the rotation. The 21-year-old is the Spurs' go-to scorer, best rebounder, and most dominant defender, leaving no room for his absence to be truly offset.

San Antonio can't afford to simply accept that the season is over, however, as they still must figure out who fits best alongside their stars.

That's obviously more difficult to determine with the franchise player out for the rest of the season. The Spurs can, however, increase the playing time of contributors who project to feature prominently alongside Wembanyama in future seasons—or perhaps those whose future is less certain.

Even without Wembanyama on the court, the Spurs can make progress toward deciding who fits where with De'Aaron Fox still ready and able to play.

Spurs must figure out who fits long-term next to Fox, Wembanyama

Acquiring Fox pushed San Antonio into the tier of the immediate factors in the Western Conference standings. It'd already made waves by flirting with .500 and picking up wins over multiple contenders, but the addition of an All-NBA point guard was a clear declaration of their intent to win now.

Wembanyama may be out, but with Fox still on the court, the Spurs should give the supporting cast ample opportunities to prove they can complement the other star.

Fox isn't just a phenomenal fit with Wembanyama, but one of the best players in the NBA. His production is nothing short of elite and he's proven capable of helping a franchise escape the depths of despair, leading the Sacramento Kings to their first postseason appearance in 17 years in 2022-23.

In terms of his aforementioned elite production, Fox has averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.9 three-point field goals made per game over the past five seasons.

With Fox in the lineup, San Antonio has a unique opportunity to figure out which players fit long-term. Most believe Stephon Castle can be a franchise cornerstone, but questions remain about the likes of Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell.

Rather than lamenting the fact that Wembanyama will be missed, the Spurs must give those players every opportunity to either sink or swim alongside Fox.

If they prove that they can complement Fox, then the Spurs will have a clear answer about how to value them come the offseason. Harsh as it may sound, San Antonio would finally have a clear answer on whether they should attempt to trade or feature said players.

Considering how easy it should be to reintegrate an unselfish player like Wembanyama, the next few months could decide the trajectory of the organization if the Spurs allow it to happen.