When one thinks of the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama naturally comes to mind.

The 7’4 phenom has been nothing short of brilliant since being drafted first overall by the Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft. So when the 21-year-old was sidelined midway through November with a calf injury, many expected San Antonio to take a free fall in the Western Conference standings.

Instead, the Spurs have thrived.

San Antonio has gone 9-3 without Wembanyama and are currently tied for the fourth-best record in the West. They recently went on the road and beat the Los Angeles Lakers in convincing fashion to enter the NBA Cup semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs have replaced Wembanyama’s production by committee, but the one standout that has predictably emerged is their other All-Star, De’Aaron Fox. The 27-year-old guard –whose season debut was delayed to November due to a hamstring injury–is averaging 25.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals over San Antonio’s last 12 games. 

The trio of Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Harrison Barnes have all had their fair share of moments as well, with each of them putting up a 30-point game for the Spurs in Wembanyama’s absence. Rookie guard Dylan Harper has been excellent in his role too as the team’s top reserve guard as his advanced poise and maturity have helped him weather what is typically a challenging adjustment period for young guards.

The accelerated development of these players has recently pushed San Antonio into the rumor mill as a potential destination for disgruntled Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Spurs would likely have to give up either the 21-year-old Castle or 19-year-old Harper who are more in-line with Wembanyama’s timeline. Given that Antetokounmpo is already 31 years old, it would push San Antonio into “win-now” mode and likely kick off an unforgiving cycle of giving up long term assets to maximize their current prospects.

Standing pat and exercising patience would better suit the long term outlook for the Spurs as Wembanyama should be a transcendent star for them for at least the next decade. Both Castle and Harper look like they can potentially become All-Stars themselves one day while Vassell should continue to be an above average role player for them. The presence of Fox also helps them tide things over as he gives them enough help to remain competitive without necessarily disrupting their plans for the future.

The past month was proof that San Antonio is more than just Wembanyama, they have a deep roster that is brimming with potential and they do not need to take the shortcut of trading for a megastar such as Antetokounmpo. If their front office can stay patient and keep this core aligned with Wembanyama’s timeline, maturing into contenders should naturally happen anyways within two to three years. 

If the Spurs can do all of this without him, the complete version of this team will be something else entirely and the West should take note.