2023 San Antonio Spurs Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert NBA Picks
The Spurs won the draft lottery and have a new face of the franchise in Victor Wembanyama. The expectations couldn’t be higher for Wembanyama, as the incoming rookie is expected to launch the Spurs to relevancy. After collecting 5 championships over the last 25 years, the Spurs have found themselves on the outside looking in for the last 4 seasons. It may be too much to ask to expect Wembanyama to make an instant impact. However, if anyone can do it, it’s him.
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San Antonio Spurs Offseason Recap
The day the Spurs won the draft lottery, the trajectory of this franchise was forever altered. Wembanyama is the most highly-touted prospect the league has seen since LeBron James, and his incredible 8 foot wingspan allows him to be a menace on both ends of the floor. Wembanyama has already shown his ability to block shots in the preseason, as his arm, cocked and ready to swat away any attempts, appears to come out of nowhere anytime the opposition drives into the paint. He’s a solid scorer on offense, but he needs to put on some size if he expects to survive a season in the grittiest area of the floor. He’s 7-foot-4 but has just 210 pounds to show for it. The injury possibility will remain anytime he steps onto the floor. However, if anyone can manage his frame, it’s future hall of famer head coach Greg Popovich.
The Spurs had an otherwise quiet offseason, collecting a pair of veteran contracts in Reggie Bullock and Cameron Payne, before waiving them in exchange for draft picks. It’s clear the franchise won’t suddenly rush out of their rebuild just because they have Wembanyama on their roster and will likely find themselves with another lottery pick this season. They locked up Devin Vassell, Wembanyama, and Popovich to extended deals, and have set themselves up nicely for their future endeavors.
San Antonio Spurs Season Expectations
The Spurs season will be hinged on the play of Wembanyama. While Keldon Johnson and Vassell had great seasons last year, they are still being pushed down the pecking order to make way for a generational talent. If the Spurs can keep Wembanyama healthy, and allow him to develop without the pressure of winning, they could put themselves in a great position to win in the coming years. Their 29.5-game win total is the joint lowest in the conference. Therefore, while the consensus is that Wembanyama is a phenom, he is not expected to immediately elevate this historic franchise. Johnson will see stride in his game this season. With Wembanyama drawing a ton of attention in the paint, Johnson will be able to drive to the basket more frequently, which happens to be his best offensive asset. His ability to finish in tight will be tested once again. However, with the threat of the lob pass always on the defenders minds, he will have an easier path to the hoop with Wembanyama and Zach Collins clogging up the paint.
San Antonio Spurs Schedule Breakdown
It’s not surprising to see the league gave the Spurs a gentle start to the year, with a pair of home games against the Mavericks and Rockets kicking off the season. Wembanyama will be used to hostile crowds in Europe and will find any road games much easier with this valuable experience under his belt. That fact may come into play, as the Spurs have the longest road trip in the league at 8 games in Early February, followed by a string of 7 ‘home’ games, with two of them being played at a neutral location.
San Antonio Spurs Odds
The Spurs are not expected to do well in the regular season, with the longest odds in the league to make the postseason at +1225, and there is no reason to mention their +15000 odds to win the championship. This season will be measured in categories other than wins, which is never what you want to hear if you are a fan of the team. In the in-season tournament, the Spurs are stuck in a group with the Warriors, Kings, Timberwolves, and Thunder, and expecting them to win 3 or 4 of those matchups is a stretch of the imagination, as their +1400 odds to top the group suggest. If they can put up a 35-win campaign and finish in the 12th seed, it would be seen as a win for the Spurs. However, in all likelihood, another season in the basement is on the cards.
San Antonio Spurs 2023-24 Season Prediction
While I won’t be betting on the Spurs to be playing meaningful April basketball, I do expect them to edge out their win total, with a 33-49 record. It’s hard to tell if Wembanyama will live up to expectations. However, the Spurs have the potential to win games they have no business of being in with him on the court. If he goes down with an injury, this could easily be a sub-20 win team, but I’ll be holding my breath anytime he steps on the court with his lanky frame. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Popovich put him on a minutes restriction to preserve his health in the early stages of the season. The Spurs are nowhere near good enough to consistently win, but they have a lineup that is used to losing games and will cherish every victory they get their hands on. At 29.5 wins, the over is a solid bet.
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