Welcome to the inaugural edition of Fiesta Shorts: True or False. This is a new thing where I get to make a statement about the Spurs and someone else has to answer “True” or “False” but they don’t get to expound upon it. Instead, I get to do the analysis on their behalf. Joining me is my pal and good dude Jordan Foote, co-founder and co-owner of Crashing Hoops.
Let’s begin!
Victor Wembanyama will prove to have been the correct pick at #1 in the 2023 NBA Draft ten years from now
Jordan: True
As someone who remembers all too vividly the Greg Oden experience, this offers a modicum of peace. I know Oden wasn’t as hyped as Wembanyama but, still, it’ll be fascinating and/or maddening to keep up with the NBA media’s fixation on Scoot Henderson vs. Wembayama in their rookie seasons (and possibly for many years to come).
Related: Victor Wembanyama Wants To Be The Best No. 1 Pick Of All Time
San Antonio will finish with a bottom five W-L record
Jordan: False
I remain unconvinced. There are teams that should probably be worse than San Antonio – Houston and Detroit come to mind. Washington is uh, well they’re a team of basketball players I suppose, but probably not a good one. Teams like Indiana and Charlotte could fall on either side of the Spurs, if you ask me. Then you’ve got Portland, who presumably won’t have All-Pro Damian Lillard leading the charge anymore and they weren’t great with him last season either.
It’s not unreasonable to think San Antonio will finish ahead of those six teams, but it feels a little crazy to guarantee that they will.
The Spurs will be involved in Damian Lillard’s eventual trade from Portland
Jordan: False
He’s probably right but ugh, BORING. While I don’t think there’s any reason San Antonio should get involved in a trade involving a key member of their core just to be a side-piece of a greater trade, is there nothing fun we can get out of a Doug McDermott type player? Then again, he’s probably more valuable at the trade deadline. You win this round, Jordan.
The Spurs’ young core (Wembanyama, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan) has top-three upside
Jordan: True
Now we’re talking! I somewhat regret not allowing a discussion on this one but rules are rules. If I had to guess I would guess that our dear Mr. Foote has Oklahoma City and Orlando as the others with top-three upside. (All due respect to New Orleans and Zion WIliamson, who… nevermind, let’s not go there)
Zach Collins has the best hair in the Western Conference
Jordan: False
Whatever, man.
San Antonio will flirt with the Play-In
Jordan: False
Okay, let’s do some digging into this one. We know Jordan doesn’t think the Spurs are a bottom-five team, so at worst they’re the 25th best team in the league. And 20 teams will make the Playoffs or Play-In.
I’m going to roll with unbridled optimism and choose to believe that Jordan answered false here because SA won’t just “flirt” with the Play-In, they’ll be in the driver’s seat as the West’s #7 seed.
The Spurs will hit the over on the O/U 30.5 wins I saw on a gambling site when I wrote this
Jordan: True
Hope y’all placed your bets if you were in Vegas for the Summer League games!
The Spurs will be represented at All-Star Weekend
Jordan: True
Unless Wembanyama plays out of his mind and somehow gets the entire country of France to vote for him 10x a day or whatever the fan voting limits are now, the Spurs are more likely to get in the Rising Stars action, which counts as All-Star Weekend in my book.
The Rookie of the Year award is Wembanyama’s award to lose (A.K.A. he’s nearly a lock to win it unless he shits every bed in San Antonio this season)
Jordan: False
You heard it here first: Wembanyama is coming to your house to shit in your bed. Before you get outraged over this, remember who his coach is. If anyone was ever going to load manage a rookie out of ROTY contention, it would be the coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
It would be wise for Gregg Popovich to load manage Wembanyama in his rookie season
Jordan: True
See? And apparently some people think that’s the wise thing to do.
Thank you for reading, please be kind to each other out there.
