Victor Wembanyama's health scare should push Spurs on Kevin Durant decision

Victor Wembanyama is a generational talent. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Ralph Sampson and Kristaps Porzingis as Goliaths with guard-like abilities, Wembanyama appears ready to take the archetype to new heights with an expanded skill set and an almost unmatched two-way balance.

Unfortunately, Porzingis and Sampson had their respective career trajectories altered by injuries—and as Wembanyama faces a health scare of his own, the San Antonio Spurs must be prepared to adapt.

It'd be irresponsible to label Wembanyama as injury-prone, especially after he played 71 games as a rookie. He'd also appeared in 46 of the Spurs' 52 games before he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and ruled out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

At the rate he was going, Wembanyama was on pace to play 72.5 games—and whether that's rounded up or down, it speaks to his remarkable availability.

The reality facing the Spurs, however, is that Wembanyama is further along in his development than the average 21-year-old player. They must also come to terms with the fact that the historical precedent for players at his height avoiding injuries is less than ideal.

With this in mind, the Spurs should be aggressive in their pursuit of Kevin Durant and willing to take chances on Wembanyama being ready to win now. Thankfully, the process is already underway.

Kevin Durant would give Spurs immediate chance to win with Wemby

San Antonio has been linked to Durant in trade rumors throughout the weeks leading up to the draft and free agency. It's easy to see why they'd be interested in a player who's already a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, former regular season MVP, and four-time scoring champion.

Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed how real the Spurs' curiosity is when he reported that they're one of five identified teams that have expressed interest in trading for Durant this summer.

"Teams that have expressed interest in Durant, sources said, mainly feature the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. Several wild-card suitors have made inquiries on Durant in the past seven to 10 days, sources said."

Durant is admittedly a polarizing player due to his age and injury history, but the Spurs have the resources to go all-in on Wembanyama without sacrificing their future. With this in mind, there's no more logical approach than building for the now while simultaneously developing long-term assets.

Wembanyama is by no means injury-prone, but his health scare should be a reminder of how quickly a dream scenario can become a nightmare in the NBA.

Every team would like to think that their franchise player will be leading the charge for the next decade-plus. The unfortunate reality of sports, however, is that every season provides new hurdles that can unfortunately include health and injury issues.

Considering Wembanyama has already faced a health scare, the Spurs can't afford to hesitate in their attempts to build a contender around him with the window already open.

Spurs don't need to sacrifice their long-term vision for Kevin Durant

It's pivotal to note that trading for Durant wouldn't be an example of San Antonio throwing darts with a blindfold on. They already have Wembanyama, an All-NBA point guard in De'Aaron Fox, the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle, and the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

By trading for Durant, the Spurs wouldn't be desperately pushing for a title—they'd be putting the finishing touches on a championship-caliber starting lineup.

Acquiring Durant would obviously require the loss of valued assets, but San Antonio has the capacity to move forward with an intriguing array of talent in place. It can include the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if it errs on the side of logic and opts against trading the No. 2 selection for a player who will soon turn 37.

It could also include the likes of Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, and any combination of alternating-year picks between 2027 and 2031.

In any scenario, San Antonio would be entering the 2025-26 season with a trio of Durant, Fox, and Wembanyama leading the charge. They'd have All-Star talent in the backcourt, along the wings, and leading the interior. Moreover, they'd have three of the best players at their respective positions.

It may not seem to align with the youth movement that's being built around Wembanyama, but the Spurs can't be so disillusioned by what may be that they overlook what already is.