The San Antonio Spurs have a good problem; depth at the guard position. This isn’t the same as the ‘having two quarterbacks is like having none’ problem that occasionally arises in the NFL. Having several guys who can run your offense and provide effective minutes on the perimeter is necessary in the NBA.
However, a good problem for San Antonio constitutes a conundrum for Blake Wesley and Malaki Branham. Where they stand in the rotation is a mystery with the additions of Chris Paul and Stephon Castle—a point astutely pointed out by long-time Spurs reporter Paul Garcia.
As Paul explains, the Spurs will have to make a decision on team options for Branham, Wesley, Jeremy Sochan and Victor Wembanyama by the end of October. Wemby and Sochan are locks, but the two backup guards are not, making their training camp and preseason work that much more important.
It’s now or never for Branham and Wesley
If they want to remain part of the Wembanyama era, they’ll have to prove it but would they want that is a question that should be asked. No doubt, they’ll want to improve their game. The desire to build a successful NBA career is obvious, but you have to wonder what they hope the heights of their career will be.
With Stephon Castle on the team and Tre Jones as one of the better bench point guards in the NBA, there aren’t enough minutes to allocate to them if they want a larger role on the team. Now, that also requires the Spurs to re-sign Jones as he enters the last year of his contract, but he’s too perfect for San Antonio to let walk, so it’s likely they’ll get a deal done at some point.
If they do want to stay, they’d have to be okay with playing sparing minutes or stepping in when guys get injured unless they can truly take their games to the next level. However, neither one projects to be the type of player who can run an offense. This explains the conundrum.
Where they want to spend the next chapter of their careers is a question that can’t be dismissed as there are two sides to what comes next. If their aspirations are high, they’ll ask the team not to pick up the option, allowing them to become unrestricted free agents next season.
If I had a choice, I’d hope that Blake Wesley stands out enough to warrant an extended guaranteed contract. His defensive instincts can’t be taught, but he can work on his offensive game. Defense is the calling card of San Antonio. It always has been, so there’s more value there.
Unfortunately, both players may be on the outside looking in. The Spurs potentially have four first-round draft picks coming in next offseason. There simply aren’t enough spots for everyone. But they’re both stand-up guys, so the hope is that they land on their feet wherever they end up, even if it’s not in a silver and black uniform.
