A switch to 40-minute games may unleash an unstoppable Wembanyama and Spurs

If NBA commissioner Adam Silver has his way, a 40-minute game may eventually become a thing, and the San Antonio Spurs could be a huge beneficiary. While it's only something that Adam Silver may be in favor of, according to Sport Illustrated's Chris Mannix. If it were to happen, San Antonio could have a massive edge.

Star Victor Wembanyama is very familiar with playing 40-minute games due to his international experience. Having that experience would give him a leg up over other NBA stars, and the Spurs could thrive with him playing a larger share of minutes.

He is currently averaging around 31 minutes, which is about 64.5% of the game. However, if he were to play 30 out of a possible 40 minutes, that would increase to 75%.

A proposed 40-minute game may make the Spurs nearly unstoppable

Even if the Spurs were to use shorter games to have Wembanyama play fewer minutes, he'd still play around 70% of the time if he were to average 28 minutes.

Other teams would no doubt play their best players big minutes, but the Spurs could have Wembanyama on the floor for a larger percentage of time. That can't be understated with him boasting one of the best net ratings in the NBA.

It's not just him; the Spurs boast one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and they are playing faster than last season. Shorter games would make it easier for them to play aggressively on both ends.

San Antonio would become that much harder to beat with their combination of Wembanyama and youth. Despite that, while Silver may be toying with the idea, it's far from a guarantee that it will happen. Still, Spurs fans should hope it does.

The NBA has added incentive to shorten games

Yes, NBA games have been 48 minutes for decades, but FIBA plays 40-minute games, as does college basketball, so there is precedent for it.

Of course, it's not all about shortening the games to bring the NBA in line with other leagues. It's about revenue. The league is likely never going to shorten the season, so reducing the length of games is the more realistic option.

There is also the financial aspect; having eight fewer minutes means games will likely last less than two hours. That could result in more games being broadcast on ABC, NBC, and ESPN.

The Spurs already have 25 nationally televised games this season, and they could benefit by having even more. That's all well and good, but the NBA needs their stars to be healthy, and Wembanyama is one of their biggest.

Therefore, keeping stars such as him healthy should be a top priority, and shortening games may be the realistic way to do so. Of course, it could make Wembanyama and the Spurs more dominant, and that's a risk we all should be willing to take.

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