(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
For the first time in a few years, there’s palpable excitement for the San Antonio Spurs as fans will get to watch Victor Wembanyama take the floor.
Wembanyama has been turning heads all year and has already had some of his plays go viral during preseason.
The 2023 NBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick is expected to lead the next era of Spurs basketball, though he won’t be able to do it by himself.
Fortunately, San Antonio’s got other young talent on the roster that should be able to aid the effort.
Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan all look like long-term pieces for Gregg Popovich and the organization to lean on in the coming years.
Aside from that group, the Spurs also made sure to keep Zach Collins as the two sides agreed to an extension via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
San Antonio Spurs center Zach Collins has agreed on a two-year, $35 million contract extension, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Deal secures Collins through the 2025-2026 season. pic.twitter.com/8fDlK5Tz0j
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 22, 2023
Collins has dealt with several injuries over the course of his career, but was able to put himself back on the map last season after a strong year with San Antonio.
A capable inside scorer who’s shown some flashes of shooting from distance, Collins is a serviceable backup big man who could also slide in next to Wembanyama in the front court.
Two years for $35 million might seem rich on paper, but with the salary cap expected to increase over the next few years, it’ll actually age nicely.
Collins is a solid bet to make assuming he can stay healthy, but also could be a solid trade chip given his annual salary.
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