In anticipation of the 2024-25 season, the San Antonio Spurs have a number of gamers whose names may very well be introduced up within the awards dialog.
Victor Wembanyama and the NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months award could also be the obvious, however Keldon Johnson and Stephon Fort may very well be contenders for Sixth Man and Rookie of the 12 months, respectively.
For now, Johnson is carrying +5000 odds because the twenty fourth finest for its worth, whereas Fort has a +2000 — the fourth-best odds for a rookie. Johnson is unlikely to win, whereas Fort is the favourite.
Final season, the undisputed sixth man for the San Antonio Spurs was none apart from Johnson.
LEARN MORE: Spurs veteran Keldon Johnson provides up his No. 3 to Chris Paul
Whereas it is a new function for the ahead after primarily beginning for a lot of his profession, he is thrived off the bench, averaging 15.7 factors, 5.5 rebounds and a couple of.8 assists per recreation on 45.4 p.c taking pictures from the sphere and 34.6 p.c from behind the arc.
Johnson’s skill to create scoring possibilities makes him a key possibility for the Spurs up entrance, and particularly as a sixth man, it permits him to be a driving drive within the squad. Shifting him to the bench wasn’t as a result of he was a lesser participant, it simply made extra sense for the squad as an entire.
The 24-year-old could not have an incredible probability of successful the award, however he may shock quite a lot of members of a San Antonio crew that’s shaping as much as be a play-in contender. There’s low-risk, high-reward potential with Johnson.
As for Fort, the 4th choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, he has the chance to right away develop into a high-impact participant for the Spurs.
The previous UConn Husky involves San Antonio as a possible franchise level guard of the longer term, however for now, it seems he’ll begin on the bench. The Spurs introduced in longtime veteran Chris Paul in free company, who ought to begin early to assist with the expansion and growth of not solely Fort, however Wembanyama and the remainder of their core.
LEARN MORE: Stephon Fort is aware of win and now has the possibility to proceed doing so
Fort’s impression may very well be big proper now, bringing a combo-guard talent set to the roster. Not solely is he a stable inside scorer and playmaker, however he is additionally a bodily defender at 6’6″. It might take him a while to regulate to the NBA earlier than he replaces Paul, however till then, he’ll be an important a part of San Antonio’s bench.
How lengthy Fort sits on the bench may very well be the deciding think about whether or not or not a Rookie of the 12 months win is life like. It is a drawback if different rookies get beginning positions, however it’s potential he may very well be positioned above Paul within the first two months of the season. That will give him a greater probability to enhance his scoring stats and a greater probability of successful the award.
There may be not at all a transparent favourite for this award, so Fort’s odds could also be extra favorable than Johnson’s. The competitors amongst candidates is much less intense and so long as Fort receives a major variety of minutes for almost all of the season, he has the flexibility to complete with a closing award spot.
