Spurs' offensive game plan to start the season is painfully obvious

Kevin O'Connor brought up the same point that he continues to raise about the concerns over San Antonio's shooting, but this time, it made me think about potential strategies. The Spurs were 20th in three-point shooting last season. Obviously, they want to improve in that area, and some are uncertain whether they made enough moves in the offseason to address it.

"The upside is obvious — Fox collapses defenses, and Wemby’s gravity on the pop or roll stretches the floor vertically and horizontally. But when you surround them with shaky shooters or young guys still figuring it out, all that potential just clogs up.” - Kevin O'Connor

While I think that the Spurs will at the very least be marginally better from outside and it'll be enough to be dominant, it's not outrageous for some to be concerned. You want to be as solid in all areas as possible, and good shooting opens up the floor for more options elsewhere. The biggest threat should be the De'Aaron Fox/Victor Wembanyama pick-and-roll, making their strategy to open the season clear.

The Spurs will likely hunt threes early

The Silver and Black will be smart to establish the threat of their dynamic duo as early as possible because it's the scariest option. But in order to run those plays to their fullest potential, you have to make defenses respect what happens when they over-commit to stopping it. That means feeding the shooters on the perimeter and making the defenders pay for their decision.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Wembanyama on short rolls to the basket early in the season and not fully committing to driving all the way inside, so he can quickly find guys on the outside. The same goes for Swipa when he's coming off the screens. We know that he can get into the paint at will, but feeding the perimeter threats will be paramount in making a statement.

If the guys can knock down those shots, all bets are off. Defenses will have to pick their poison, but either option is fatal. So, the off-seasons of Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle are imperative to this offense's success. Don't get me wrong, everyone has a part to play, and even if the shooting isn't top 10, they can take a leap in the standings with their defense and poise in close games.

But if they want to maximize the offense through the pick-and-roll, where we know Fox thrives, and Wemby is unstoppable, they need to prove that defenses have to respect the shooters. That means feeding them early and encouraging them to let it fly.