Spurs' title hopes hinge on Devin Vassell's continued growth in unique role

Don't let the Spurs' offseason acquisitions make you forget about the heroes that contributed to their amazing playoff run. Devin Vassell was one, providing elite two-way play from the first round all the way up to the Finals. He doesn't need to focus on adding too much more to his offensive repertoire. Instead, he must continue to refine his 3&D attack if the Spurs want to get back to that stage.

San Antonio fans were spoiled this past season. There was so much to be excited about, between Victor Wembanyama's MVP-caliber play, Dylan Harper's stunning development, and Stephon Castle's monumental sophomore leap. But Vassell's growth in his sixth year was such an underrated storyline.

That growth wasn't about his raw numbers. Instead, it was about his embracement of a new role. He committed to being a competitive two-way perimeter player, and for the Spurs to be even better next season, he must lean into that identity even more.

Vassell deserves credit for his sacrifices

Last season, Devin Vassell was asked to do something difficult. San Antonio needed him to take a dip in shot attempts to make room for the development of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. That's not always easy for a 25-year-old former lottery pick to do.

But, like many other Spurs, Vassell accepted his new role and dominated it. He made his threes at an efficient clip (38% last season) and became one of their most reliable perimeter defenders. That carried into the playoffs, where he did an amazing job at generating stops against some elite scorers and picking off steals.

Maybe this was always the player Vassell was meant to be. Sure, he can go put up 20+ points per game on any other team in the league, but this is the version of him that puts his squad in position to contend. Many players never find that perfect role for themselves and spend years stuck in a mediocre or losing situation.

That is not the case for Devin. He put team success over individual accolades by doing the dirty work on defense and making his threes at an elite clip. San Antonio needs more of that for another Finals run in 2027.

The Tobias Harris signing pushes Devin to embrace his role even more

The Spurs' signing of Tobias Harris confirmed that they're well-equipped with offensive options. This team features a bevy of players who can create their own offense, which pushes others to embrace their role even more and stay sharp when their number is called.

I'm willing to bet that Harris will be a bit higher on the offensive food chain than Vassell next season. That's not a bad thing; he's an experienced scorer who can complement Victor Wembanyama and help the Spurs win minutes with him off the court. For Devin, this means continuing to solidify that he's the best 3&D player on this team.

Who knows? Maybe he turns around and makes an All-Defensive team to go along with his elite shooting. The possibilities are endless, and it's all because he embraced the right things. The goal this summer is to get even better in his role, and judging by last season, there's plenty of reason to believe that he will.

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