As the new season approaches soon, the San Antonio Spurs face an additional problem. Their second-best player, guard Devin Vassell, is sidelined because of a foot injury. After undergoing surgery for a stress reaction in his right foot, Vassell is now focused on rehabilitation and won’t be available for the season opener. His status will be reassessed on November 1, raising a critical question: how will the team adapt in his absence?

He played in 68 games last season but had to end early due to a stress reaction in his right foot. Since the surgery, he has been in rehabilitation. In his absence, rookie standout Victor Wembanyama needs to take on the role of team leader and leading scorer.

In a recent discussion, ESPN’s Bobby Marks highlighted the implications of this injury, saying, “Certainly for Victor, this is their second-best player. With how deep the Western Conference is, you do not want to lose a tuning star.”

Marks acknowledged, that losing Vassell is a setback, however, he has a solution. He says Chris Paul provides a silver lining by offering crucial veteran leadership during this challenging period. “You’ll likely see a bit more trade activity alongside Chris Paul here,” he suggested, hinting at potential roster moves to maintain competitiveness.

Paul offers veteran leadership and facilitates the offense, which can greatly influence the Spurs. He can also create scoring opportunities for Victor Wembanyama thanks to his skill in reading defenses. Paul’s calm demeanor in important games boosts the confidence of younger players and helps maintain the team’s offensive momentum, especially when Vassell isn’t playing. Now, all there is left to see if the Spurs can adapt and take advantage of the situation to stay competitive in the Western Conference and maintain their championship hopes.

The Spurs without their guard Devin Vassell

Spurs had a disappointing last season. When Victor Wembanyama played, there was a lot of excitement and optimism for progress. However, the team didn’t live up to expectations, even though there were exciting moments. A significant part of the problem rested on the shoulders of the incumbent players, who didn’t make enough improvements during the offseason to prepare for winning games.

Among them, Devin Vassell faced the highest expectations as Wembanyama’s second option. While he showed some progress, one glaring issue continued to plague him: his free throw shooting. In his rookie and sophomore seasons, Vassell boasted an impressive 84% from the line. However, that percentage dipped to 78% in his third year, largely because of injuries that limited him to just 38 games. Fans hoped for a strong bounceback in his fourth season, but he managed only a slight improvement to 80%.

Vassell had a free-throw percentage below 80% in 24 games last season and dealt with injuries, playing in just 68 games. Can the Spurs trust their second option to come through when it matters most, given this inconsistency? Among NBA players who made at least 125 free throws last season, Vassell ranked a surprising 62nd. Given his talent for hitting contested jump shots and shooting well from three, this is an unexpected shortcoming.

To succeed in crucial moments, the Spurs require Vassell to increase his free-throw attempts and capitalize on them. Vassell, being the team’s highest-paid player, needs to accept the responsibility that comes with his position. Can he rise to the occasion and fulfill the promise that Spurs fans hope to see?