Spurs' offseason speaks volumes about their level of belief in Devin Vassell

It isn't often that the San Antonio Spurs sign players to bad contracts, but it recently appeared that they had done just that. Back in 2023, the Spurs signed Devin Vassell to a five-year, $125 million extension.

It seemed like a worthwhile gamble given San Antonio's track record for finding stars in the NBA Draft and his elite shooting ability. However, it quickly became clear that he wasn't going to be a star.

Worse yet, his contract seemed destined to go down as an overpay. Fortunately for the Spurs, he has found a new role that he's thrived in.

Devin Vassell has reinvented himself for the Spurs

Vassell ranked among the NBA's best in mid-range shooting as well as catch-and-shoot threes last season. In doing so, he's solved a major problem for the Spurs, freeing them up to fix other issues.

Entering last season was a huge question mark, with San Antonio having a lack of good shooters. That made Vassell all the more important, and he excelled in a smaller role as a knockdown shooter.

His hot shooting game came up big for the Spurs last season. In fact, had it not been for his 35-point outburst against the Denver Nuggets, they wouldn't have advanced to the NBA Cup Finals.

Better still, he shot an incredible 37.8% from three on 6.4 3-point attempts per game during the postseason. Vassell even played stellar defense throughout the playoffs, even when tasked with guarding bigger players.

Devin Vassell is more than living up to his contract

He may not have developed the way many fans had hoped, but Vassell is proving to be a terrific role player. While he is still making around $27.5 million a year, that's in line with an above-average starter.

Given his play last season, it's safe to say that he is definitely that. Even better, his contract won't exceed $27.5 million annually over the next three years. That's a luxury with the salary cap steadily increasing.

It also makes his contract much more palatable going forward. That fact can't be understated given San Antonio's second apron concerns.

Having an above-average knockdown shooter who can also more than hold his own defensively is valuable enough. Especially one who's been a long-time Spur and is on a more than reasonable contract.

Considering how his deal looked even a couple years ago, his dramatic turnaround has transformed his contract from being a negative asset into a steal.

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