By Jacob Douglas | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2024-08-26 04:01:46
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
随着马刺队的重建，一些球员需要证明自己的价值。
圣安东尼奥马刺队迎来了自进入 NBA 季后赛 以来的第六个赛季。人们可以争论他们在这些赛季中有多少个赛季是在重建模式中度过的。今年的感觉与前两个赛季不同。
维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)仅用一个 NBA 赛季就确立了自己球星的地位。圣安东尼奥队获得了克里斯·保罗和哈里森·巴恩斯两位老将，他们应该会提升球队年轻球员的水平。在文班亚马时代的第二年，这支球队看起来比过去几年更有竞争力。
当重建球队转向竞争时，对于年轻球员来说，就变成了成败攸关的时刻。随着马刺队引进更多经验丰富的老将，以前占据关键位置的年轻球员将被挤掉。圣安东尼奥队有很多正处于 NBA 第二或第三个赛季的球员，他们还没有完全证明自己是球队长期的轮换阵容。为了留在马刺队或在其他地方获得另一份 NBA 合同，四名球员将在本赛季进入证明自己的阶段。
马拉基·布拉纳姆(Malaki Branham)
作为 2022 年 NBA 选秀 的首轮秀，布拉纳姆在圣安东尼奥队获得了充足的机会。有时，他看起来像是一个纯粹的投篮侧翼，可以成为替补席上的得分利器。但他的三分球也极不稳定，而且还没有找到在防守端发挥影响力的方法。随着马刺队获得更多技能重叠的球员，布拉纳姆发现自己处于一个成败攸关的赛季。
本赛季很难为布拉纳姆找到一个明确的角色。特雷·琼斯和朱利安·尚帕尼回归替补席，以及 2024 年的首轮秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)，都将抢走他的上场时间。上赛季，布拉纳姆是圣安东尼奥队替补席上的主要控球后卫之一，并曾担任过首发球员。他场均得到 9.2 分和 2.1 次助攻，投篮命中率为 43.2%，三分球命中率为 34.7%，罚球命中率为 87.3%。他在 防守真实正负值 排名中位列 NBA 倒数第五，这项数据使用得分统计和高阶的场上/场下计算来衡量球员的整体防守影响。
布拉纳姆不能再成为一个低效的得分手和防守漏洞，同时还不是一个可靠的组织者。在他的前两个赛季中，有一些迹象表明他可以成为一名优秀的持球得分手，他有很多方法可以完成投篮或突破到篮下。他需要更稳定地做到这一点，才能在这个团队中找到自己的角色。随着卡斯尔和保罗的加入，马刺队的侧翼和后卫人满为患。对于布拉纳姆来说，这是一个关键的赛季，他必须在竞争中战胜他们。
杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)
索汉是本赛季马刺队最有趣的球员。尽管与伤病作斗争，但他在新秀赛季表现出色。去年，他在被要求打错位时表现挣扎。很难找到比他前两个赛季更奇怪的年轻球员。尽管他有所产出，但围绕他的叙述却出奇地负面。索汉将在下个休赛期有资格续约，这使得本赛季成为他证明质疑者错误的重要一年。
对索汉的批评在于他的进攻角色。上赛季他的投篮命中率有所提高，但三分球命中率仍然只有 30%。尽管如此，他的得分、篮板和助攻数据都有所提高 (11.6 分、3.4 次助攻、6.4 个篮板)。他在空切和串联进攻方面取得了进步。他的努力为马刺队赢得了第二次机会（场均 1.9 个进攻篮板），并在防守端创造了机会。他也是马刺队最好的持球防守者之一，因为他经常防守对手最好的侧翼球员。他仍然需要改进的地方是如何绕过掩护和无球防守。
有两件事（或者说两个人）应该会在本赛季让索汉受益：他与马刺队投篮教练吉米·巴伦的投篮训练，以及与保罗一起打球。我预计索汉的三分球命中率会再次提高，即使他不是一个优秀的射手，他的三分球命中率也会超过 32%。拥有一名对 NBA 进攻空间有深刻理解的球员，不仅可以帮助圣安东尼奥队解决索汉带来的空间问题，还可以教会他需要出现在哪些位置才能让防守方付出代价。我对索汉本赛季的表现寄予厚望，他需要在本赛季打出一个出色的赛季，才能在明年夏天获得一份丰厚的续约合同。
布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)
马刺队在 2022 年 NBA 选秀大会上的第三个也是最后一个选择，可能是球队阵容中的第四或第五后卫。在本赛季开始的时候，韦斯利发现自己在深度榜上落后于保罗、琼斯、卡斯尔，甚至可能还有布拉纳姆。他需要在本赛季初制造很大的动静，才能进入一个能让他获得稳定上场时间的角色。
韦斯利速度极快，并且在防守端非常努力。他非常擅长在进攻端施压，并在防守端为马刺队制造混乱，这常常导致对方出现快攻得分。他减少了失误（场均 0.8 次），并学会了如何放慢自己的节奏。他在篮筐附近的得分能力有了很大提高，但在三分线外的投篮却出现了重大退步（三分球命中率为 21.8%）。就像布拉纳姆一样，我们没有看到他足够稳定地做到这一点。
今年对韦斯利来说是关键的一年。卡斯尔对他的上场时间和在球队的未来构成了威胁。他们的技术重叠，而卡斯尔拥有前五顺位新秀和 NCAA 冠军的血统。马刺队下个休赛期可能还有三个首轮签。韦斯利需要证明他的防守和运动能力能够在本赛季转化为胜利的篮球。
凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)
在马刺队的交易传闻中，没有人比约翰逊被提及的次数更多。随着圣安东尼奥队希望获得重要的球员，约翰逊提供了一名年轻球员，他拥有一份不错的合同，可以成为任何交易的资产。但约翰逊似乎很喜欢圣安东尼奥，他对球队的热情在球场上显而易见。他想穿上银黑相间的球衣，本赛季对他来说将是继续这样做的重要一年。
约翰逊今年将不得不再次接受第六人的角色。上赛季，他作为首发的效率远高于替补。尽管替补上场时间更多，但他的投篮命中率和数据都有所下降。他似乎过于依赖跳投，而不是过去几年里他所打的强硬篮球。上赛季，他在防守端也表现得很挣扎。
约翰逊看起来在今年夏天 瘦了很多。也许这可能是一个积极的球员想要留队的信号。一个更具运动能力的球员，他可以在防守端站稳脚跟，同时找回他在进攻端的优势，对于一支希望重返季后赛的马刺队来说，将是一个关键的因素。
点击查看原文：Four Spurs with the most to prove this season
Four Spurs with the most to prove this season
As the Spurs build, some players need to prove their worth.
The San Antonio Spurs enter its sixth season since making the NBA Playoffs. One could argue how many of those seasons they spent in rebuilding mode. This year feels different than the previous two seasons.
Victor Wembanyama established himself as a star in just one NBA season. San Antonio acquired two veterans, Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, who should elevate the young players on the roster. In year two of the Wembanyama era, this looks like a team primed to be more competitive than in years past.
When rebuilding teams turn the corner to competitiveness, it becomes sink or swim for young players. Young players previously occupying key roles will be pushed out as the Spurs add more veteran talent. San Antonio has a bevy of players in their second or third NBA seasons who haven’t quite proven to be long-term rotational pieces. To stick around with the Spurs or earn another NBA contract elsewhere, four players enter this season with something to prove.
Malaki Branham
As a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Branham has gotten ample opportunities in San Antonio. At times he’s looked like a pure shooting wing who can be a microwave scoring asset off the bench. He’s also been wildly inconsistent shooting the ball from three and hasn’t found a way to be impactful defensively. Branham finds himself in a make-or-break season as the Spurs acquire more players with overlapping skill sets.
It’s hard to find a clear role for Branham this season. Tre Jones and Julian Champagnie’s return to the bench and the 2024 first-round pick, Stephon Castle, will steal minutes from him. Last season Branham was one of San Antonio’s lead guards off the bench and spent time as a spot starter. He averaged 9.2 points and 2.1 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field, 34.7% from three and 87.3% from the line. He was in the bottom five in the NBA in D-LEBRON, a stat that uses box score and advanced on/off calculations to measure a player’s holistic defensive impact.
Branham can’t afford to be an inefficient scorer and defensive liability while not a reliable playmaker. There have been signs in his first two seasons of being a good on-ball scorer with a deep bag of moves to get into his shot or to the rim. He needs to do it more consistently to carve out a role for this team. With Castle and CP3 in the picture, the Spurs have a glut of wings and guards. Branham will have to beat them out in a pivotal season for him.
Jeremy Sochan
Sochan is the most interesting Spurs player this season. He popped in his rookie season despite battling injuries. Last year he struggled while being asked to play out of position. It’s hard to find many young guys who’ve had a weirder first two seasons in the league. Despite his production, the narrative around him has been surprisingly negative. Sochan will be extension-eligible next offseason, making this a big year for proving the doubters wrong.
The knock on Sochan is his offensive role. He shot the ball better last season, but still only hit 30% of his threes. Despite that he still improved his scoring averages, rebounding and assist numbers (11.6 PTS, 3.4 AST, 6.4 REB). He’s made strides as a cutter and connective playmaker. His effort gives the Spurs second chances (1.9 offensive rebounds a game) and generates opportunities defensively. He’s also one of the Spurs’ best on-ball defenders, as he routinely guarded the opponent’s best wing. He still needs to improve in navigating screens and defending off the ball.
Two things (or people) should benefit Sochan this season: his shooting work with Spurs shooting coach, Jimmy Barron, and playing with CP3. I expect Sochan to improve his three-point percentage once again, even if he’s not a good shooter, he’ll hit more than 32% of his threes. Having a player who has an elite understanding of space in an NBA offense should not only help San Antonio navigate the spacing issues Sochan brings but also teach him the places he needs to be to make the defense pay. I’m high on Sochan coming into this season and he needs to have a big season to earn a lucrative extension next summer.
Blake Wesley
The third and final selection for the Spurs in the 2022 NBA Draft is probably the 4th or 5th guard on the roster. Wesley finds himself behind Paul, Jones, Castle and possibly Branham on the depth chart going into the season. He is going to need to make a lot of noise early in the season to move into a role that earns him consistent minutes.
Wesley is blazing fast and works his tail off defensively. He’s awesome at the point of attack and generated chaos for the Spurs on defense that often led to fast break points on the other end. He cut down on turnovers (0.8 a game) and learned how to slow himself down. He got much better at scoring around the rim but took a major step back in shooting beyond the arc (21.8% from three). Much like Branham, we didn’t see it consistently enough.
This year is a big one for Wesley. Castle looms as a threat to his playing time and future with the team. Their skills overlap and Castle has the pedigree of a top-5 pick and NCAA Champion. The Spurs have potentially three first-round picks coming next offseason, too. Wesley will need to prove that his defense and athleticism can translate to winning basketball this year.
Keldon Johnson
Nobody is brought up in Spurs trade rumors than Johnson. As San Antonio looks to acquire major talent, Johnson offers a young player with a good contract that can be an asset in any move. But KJ seems to love San Antonio, and his passion for the franchise is evident on the court. He wants to wear the Silver and Black, and this season will be important for him to continue to do so.
Johnson will have to embrace a sixth-man role once again this year. He was much more effective as a starter than a reserve last season. His shooting percentages and counting stats were down, despite playing more minutes off the bench. He seemed to rely too much on his jump shot, rather than the bully ball he’s played in years past. He really struggled defensively last season as well.
Johnson looks to have slimmed down significantly this summer. Perhaps this could be the sign of a motivated player looking to stick around. A more athletic player who can hold his own defensively while getting back to his offensive strengths would be a key cog for a Spurs team looking to get back into the playoffs.
By Jacob Douglas, via Pounding The Rock