Kevin Garnett is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. His flamboyant personality and on-court antics have won over many fans, while others have dismissed his incessant trash-talking as “overdoing it.” No matter which side you leaned on, everyone knew that KG was a one-of-a-kind basketball player. You can’t tell the story of the NBA without him, and San Antonio Spurs fans wouldn’t want to do that.
Tim Duncan and Garnett had some of the most exciting battles of any rival in their prime. If KG had won, there would have been reason to think differently, but the Big Fundamental won 33-19 in the games played between the two, so the memories are good.
Duncan never had verbal contact with KG, but he always rose to the challenge. That ability to get into position against another top player is a skill that Victor Wembanyama also displayed. But, in terms of attitude, Wembanyama is probably a little closer to Garnett than Timmy D. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Combine that with his talent, and he makes everyone a fan, including Garnett.
Of course, San Antonio could have decided to speed up this process once they realized Victor Wembanyama was better than advertisedIf they had moved their assets more aggressively, they could have undoubtedly added some very good veteran players to the roster and started chasing them immediately.
The Alien is coming off a 20-point double-double and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year as a rookie. You could definitely win a ton of games With this guy, he has the right pieces around him right now, and everyone knows that. Championship teams are made up of a lot of good players, so hypothetically, if you were to replace a star player on a contending team with Wembanyama, there would be little to no significant dropoff. He’s already that good and will undoubtedly be better in year two.
But that’s not the smartest thing to do for the organization’s long-term flexibility. Building that structure organically allows them to build the relationships that come into play during contract negotiations. You build a long-term base of players who grow together and want to stay together. That’s more important than ever with the new penalties for teams that overspend.
As KG acknowledged, there is a huge upside to bringing Chris Paul to San Antonio. But let’s not forget Harrison Barnes. He’s another veteran who will add value, and the Spurs will be better than people anticipate. So they’ve addressed the need for experience. But there’s no need to go all out just yet.
But Garnett isn’t wrong. Wembanyama is so special that his growth and trajectory could be accelerated by playing with more talented and experienced players, and that’s essentially what Spurs fans are saying. But you have to consider what’s best for the other players and the organization.
Wemby will reach his peak, there is no doubt about that, but when he does, he will have made the climb with his boys by his side. That says something.
