Spurs guard Devin Vassell recently signed a five-year, $135MM+ rookie scale extension. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story, Vassell’s contract is the largest in team history.
While some may have been surprised by the price tag, his teammates say Vassell doesn’t get enough recognition.
“If you really watch the league, the players in this league, the coaches, they all respect Devin,” said second-year forward Jeremy Sochan. “I feel like he is underrated, but he is a special player, too.”
After being limited to 38 games in 2022/23 due to a knee injury, Vassell spent the offseason focused on weight training to improve his conditioning and withstand the rigors of an 82-game schedule. Vassell thinks the added muscle will help improve his finishing at the basket as well, according to McDonald.
Head coach Gregg Popovich believes Vassell is on the right track, both now and going forward.
“He wants to prove himself, both as a player and a leader,” Popovich said. “He has already taken some big steps.”
For his part, the 23-year-old wing says he’s focused on helping the Spurs reclaim their status as a perennial playoff team and bringing a sixth championship to San Antonio.
“This is where I want to be,” Vassell said, per McDonald. “Now all I am trying to do is win, get championships and put some more banners up there.”
Here’s more from San Antonio:
- No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama has made an instant impact in training camp with his defense, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). “I came off a handoff and thought I had a wide-open three,” said forward Doug McDermott. “All of a sudden an arm comes out of nowhere and takes the ball. He’s pretty special. He’s going to dominate on that end of the floor.” Still, after finishing with the worst defense in NBA history last season, the Spurs know they can’t just rely on their prized rookie to lift them up. As Orsborn writes, Keldon Johnson struggled defensively in 2022/23, but he believes he has become an “elite defender” this offseason. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot this summer,” Johnson said. “I put a lot of hard work and time into my body and my craft in basketball. So, I’m ready. I’m excited to prove all the doubters wrong.”
- Point guard Tre Jones, who signed a two-year, $19MM+ deal in free agency to return to the Spurs, started 65 of his 68 games last season. However, Popovich was noncommittal when asked if Jones will start in 2023/24, tweets Orsborn. “We haven’t made any decisions on who is where,” Popovich said.
- Even after waiving Cameron Payne and Reggie Bullock, the Spurs are still facing a roster crunch, with 16 players on guaranteed contracts. Two players who might be battling for the final roster spot are centers Khem Birch and Charles Bassey, who both dealt with knee injuries last season. According to Orsborn, Popovich said the two big men have been full participants in practices thus far (Twitter link).
San Antonio Spurs are a very nice young team. Victor Wembanyama Devin Vassell Jeremy Sochan Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones is a very nice young nucleus to have.
Devin Vassell definitely deserves it. He just has to get and be healthy. Continue to develop as a two way player.
I think they lack a leader, they’re young but with his new contract Vassell must become the leader of the team, at least till Victor explodes
Coach is the leader in this case.
Vassell could lead in ppg though. At least until wemby grows some more muscle…
Keldon just gotta be their Aaron Gordon now that there’s a French light tower that can always find him in good position.
Sochan gotta lead in steals and continue fighting his tail off.
Tre gotta co-lead league in assist to turnover ratio with tyus.
Wemby league leader in blocks…
4th seed.
I would keep Charles Bassey over Khem Birch …
If Bassey is 6’11 yes, if not 6’9 no
Height does not matter as much for Centers as much as you seem to think it does.
Also, Bassey is one of the most underrated young players in the league imo. I honestly hope he gets traded, not because he’s not valuable to the Spurs, but because I don’t think he’ll reach his full potential stuck behind Wemby and Sochan.
Stuck behind Wendy then yes he won’t reach his full potential. Everyone says Wemby will play PF this year so Bassey has a chance. Height does matter even though everyone says it doesn’t. Everyone just wants a center that shoots threes today. Try saying your statement 20 years ago before midget basketball started. If I could choose between a center that shoots threes or Mark Eaton then I would choose Eaton all day. Would I want a 6’6 center. No way. If Jokic was 3 inches shorter then he wouldn’t have the same success. Size is important in centers, Just in silvers NBA he wants you to think size doesn’t matter and only shooting is important. Would you want Wes Unsled or David Robinson? I hate tweener SFs pretending to be PFs. I hate 6’3 SGs, 6’6 PFs 6’9 Cs, 6’4 SFs and 5′ PGs. I would never want a Chuck Hayes at center
Okay, but it’s not 2003, it’s 2023. None of that is relevant. The game is different now.
Also, yes, height matters in Centers, but the average height for NBA players in general has dropped. Speed, and the ability to get your hands between the rim and the shooter matter more than pure size. It’s why 6’9” Bam Adebayo is such a good Center, superior instincts and speed. No longer do undersized 5s just get shoved to the 4. There’s more to the spot than strength and post moves now.
Eve with Jokic, a massive part of his dominance is his ability to just hit short jumpers constantly. Size is important in his game, but at 6’9” he’d still be incredibly dangerous on offense between his playmaking, shooting, and versatility. Even the smaller size could be a benefit because his speed would increase, theoretically. Would he be *as* dominant? Probably not. But at 6’9”, who’s to say he wouldn’t have a different skill set entirely? That changes depending on your size growing up. If Allen Iverson were 6’6”, he would never have become The Answer, because he never would have had to master all of his insane acrobatics, nor would he be as fast.
There are zero 6’6” Centers. Except Draymond Green, but he’s a freakish athlete who can do his own version of Dennis Rodman, so it doesn’t matter. Exception, rather than the rule.And he’s primarily a PF.
And Bassey is 6’11” anyway, so who cares?
I love Iverson and Rodman(hated him as a kid)
I know every player EVER since 1953. Every single player. I have millions of books and dream about basketball my whole life(until this era). I know everyone. I still believe in dribbling, defense, real coaches, veterans etc etc etc etc etc etc.
Kobe Bryant said if Iverson was 6’6 he would be the best all time
Bam is not a good center to me. Bam couldn’t even out rebound Derrick White and white made the offensive rebound and game winner while Bam watched. Bam cannot block shots at all and I think would be a great PF. Wingspan means nothing if you cannot play defense or have the drive. I would still want a defensive center and traditional PF even in today’s NBA. Like you said Rodman was great and a PF/C at 6’7. Some players played PG until they hit a growth spurt which helped them out alot like Jokic. Same goes for Iverson at 6’0 SG (you picked the two that I don’t care about their size because they are great players). Robert Williams and Bam should be playing PF, I don’t care about wingspan. Robert is out muscled by bigger centers and Bam can’t guard bigger centers. If Jokic was 6’9 he would be a better version of Jovic(not a MVP or finals MVP). There are a couple 6’5 centers playing spot minutes. Wingspan means nothing if you are James Harden on defense and just have drive to get paid. You are right about the height and pretty much everything and I love and appreciate your insight. If Bassey is 6’11 then I like him so much more and would consider him a starter somewhere but at 6’9 then I want him as my backup center. Rodman, Green and Iverson are great examples of undersized players that are perfect the way they are. Thank you for being knowledgeable compared to other people on the site. Would you have Mugsey Bogues as your starting PG just wondering or can you give me anymore examples of undersized players that are fine the way they are. Iverson or Bogues, Earl Monroe, A Dantley, Rodman and Wes Unsled would be a good undersized team.