By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-04-19 13:59:02
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。
2025年4月13日，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克多·文班亚马在圣安东尼奥霜冻银行中心下半场对阵多伦多猛龙队的比赛中，对马刺队后卫布雷克·韦斯利(14)（未在图中）投篮得分做出反应。马刺队在球迷感谢之夜以125-118击败猛龙队。
当维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)上次出现在篮球场上时，他是群星中最耀眼的一颗。
这位21岁的马刺中锋在二月份的NBA全明星赛上大放异彩，奔跑、扣篮、盖帽无所不能。
在旧金山的全明星赛后几天，文班亚马被诊断出患有疾病，导致他的赛季提前结束。右肩深静脉血栓使这位7英尺3英寸的文班亚马成为了NBA最高的观众，缺席了最后两个月的比赛。
总的来说，文班亚马很喜欢他在板凳席或电视机前看到的东西。
“我看到了球场上的活力和整个赛季都在增长的奉献精神，”文班亚马说。“在某些时候，我甚至觉得，‘该死，我真希望我还在的时候我们也能这样打球。’”
如果一切顺利，文班亚马很快就会得到机会。
一周前的周日，马刺队连续第六个赛季无缘季后赛，这是队史最长的干旱期。
这是坏消息。
好消息是——即使他们毋庸置疑的球星缺席了46场比赛——马刺队仍然取得了34胜48负的战绩。这追平了俱乐部自2018-19赛季以来的最佳战绩，那也是马刺队上一次进入季后赛的赛季。
对于文班亚马和马刺队来说，箭头正指向上方。
以下是马刺队在休赛期必须解决的五个迫切问题，这些问题的答案将在很大程度上决定球队下赛季可能实现的飞跃：
- 谁将成为训练营开始时的主教练？
这是一个非常重要的问题，目前没有人能够回答。
格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在开赛五场后因中风错过了几乎整个赛季，他的缺席对整个俱乐部都产生了影响。助理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)在艰难的环境下出色地完成了工作，值得称赞。
接下来会发生什么取决于波波维奇和他的医生。
2024年1月27日，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在霜冻银行中心与明尼苏达森林狼队的NBA比赛上半场暂停期间与前锋维克多·文班亚马交谈。圣安东尼奥以113-112击败明尼苏达。
如果身体条件允许，76岁的波波维奇将首先有机会重返他的岗位。在NBA历史上胜场最多的教练决定离开之前，马刺队不会采取任何行动来填补他的位置。
如果波波维奇选择辞职，马刺队将有两个选择。首先是将全部权力永久性地交给38岁的约翰逊，他在指导马刺队度过充满挑战的2024-25赛季后赢得了这个机会。
第二个是向外部候选人开放这个假设的空缺职位，在这种情况下，马刺队不会缺少申请人。
任何一位篮球教练都会渴望执教正值巅峰的文班亚马。
这就引出了我们的下一个问题……
- 文班亚马能完全恢复吗？
文班亚马原本有望获得年度最佳防守球员奖杯和入选NBA最佳阵容，但在二月中旬因血栓问题而停赛。
他能多快回到球场——以及多快恢复成为一个改变比赛规则的外星人——将是整个夏天的问题。
从文班亚马被诊断出疾病的那一刻起，马刺队就一直保持乐观，认为他将在秋季训练营开始前获准完全参加训练。
最近的NBA历史中充斥着试图复出的血栓患者。
克里斯·波什仍然是最坏的情况。这位名人堂迈阿密热火队中锋于2019年因复发性血栓被迫退役。
其他与血栓作斗争的NBA球员——包括底特律的奥萨尔·汤普森、多伦多的布兰登·英格拉姆和洛杉矶湖人队的克里斯蒂安·科洛科——的复出时间表与马刺队为文班亚马设定的时间表相似。
最好的情况是达米安·利拉德。
密尔沃基全明星后卫在三月份被诊断出患有右小腿深静脉血栓——在文班亚马之后——并在三周后获准恢复篮球活动。利拉德有可能在本月为雄鹿队出战季后赛。
无论需要多长时间，健康的文班亚马的回归将是马刺队今年夏天能做出的最佳引援。
- 克里斯·保罗的下一步是什么？
克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)，这位39岁的马刺队控球后卫大师，成为NBA历史上第二年长的打满82场比赛的球员，仅次于犹他州的约翰·斯托克顿。
他不太可能成为马刺队下赛季的先发控球后卫。马刺队在二月份交易来了德阿隆·福克斯担任他们现在的控球后卫。保罗重返圣安东尼奥的可能性很可能取决于他是否愿意替补出场。
保罗在2023-24赛季在金州勇士队时对替补角色感到不满，并在去年夏天的自由球员市场上明确寻找愿意让他首发的球队。
除非他改变了主意，否则他在圣安东尼奥的日子可能屈指可数。保罗表示希望打到40岁以上。马刺队很喜欢他在球队里。
2025年4月9日，在旧金山举行的一场NBA篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(40)为控球的后卫克里斯·保罗(3)设置掩护，金州勇士队后卫布兰丁·波杰姆斯基进行防守。(美联社图片/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
然而，如果保罗的目标是继续他的先发球员生涯，他很可能不得不离开。
- 马刺队其他即将成为自由球员的球员呢？
由于他们的前八名得分手下赛季都有合同在身，马刺队在内部自由球员方面没有太多的工作要做。
除了保罗之外，马刺队还需要对替补前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利、替补中锋查尔斯·巴锡和俾斯麦·比永博以及替补控球后卫乔丹·麦克劳克林做出决定。
在这群人中，马穆克拉什维利最有可能回归，特别是如果马刺队能以他本赛季获得的210万美元左右的薪水签下他。
- 马刺队能再次在选秀乐透中有所斩获吗？
由于迈阿密在周五战胜亚特兰大的附加赛，使老鹰队无缘季后赛，马刺队将在六月份的选秀中拥有两个乐透签。
他们自己的选秀权在下个月的乐透抽签中排在第八位，而从亚特兰大获得的选秀权排在第14位。
在这两个选秀权之间，马刺队有29.7%的机会至少有一个进入前四名。他们获得状元签——以及有机会选到杜克大学神童库珀·弗拉格——的几率为6.7%。
马刺队在过去两次乐透抽签中表现出色，在2023年以状元签选中了文班亚马，并在去年夏天以第4顺位选中了斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)——今年假定的年度最佳新秀。
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich disagrees with a foul call on the Spurs during the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. The Bulls defeated the Spurs, 121-112.
San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson walks onto the floor during a timeout in the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025.
San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson talks to reporters before the last game of the season against the Toronto Raptors at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots between San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) and guard Chris Paul during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, center left, and center Victor Wembanyama, center right, embrace as they cheer on their teammates from the bench during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118 on Fan Appreciation Night.
San Antonio Spurs’ Sandro Mamukelashvili, from left, Victor Wembanyama (1) and Harrison Ingram (55) line up to shake hands with the Toronto Raptors after the Spurs’ last game of the season at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118.
点击查看原文：Who will coach the Spurs next season, and other burning questions
Who will coach the Spurs next season, and other burning questions
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama reacts as Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14), not pictured, makes a shot over the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118 on Fan Appreciation Night.
The last time the world saw Victor Wembanyama on a basketball court, he was a star among stars.
The 21-year-old Spurs center was a wonder at the NBA All-Star game in February, running and dunking and blocking shots.
A few days after his coming-out party in San Francisco, Wembanyama received a diagnosis that ended his season early. Deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder turned the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama into the NBA’s tallest spectator for the final two months.
Overall, Wembanyama liked what he saw from his spot on the bench or in front of the television.
“I’ve seen some energy on the court and dedication that has grown throughout the season,” Wembanyama said. “At some point I even felt like, ‘Damn, I wish we played like that when I was there.’ ”
If all goes to plan, Wembanyama will get his chance soon enough.
A week ago Sunday, the Spurs completed their sixth straight season without a playoff appearance, the longest drought in franchise history.
That is the bad news.
The good news is that – even with their undisputed star out for all but 46 games – the Spurs still managed to finish 34-48. That matched the club’s best record since 2018-19, which also happened to be the Spurs’ last playoff season.
The arrow is pointing up for Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Here are five burning questions the Spurs must address in the offseason, the answers to which will go a long way toward determining the kind of leap the team might make next season:
1. Who will be the coach at the start of training camp?
It’s kind of an important question, and one nobody could possibly answer at this point.
Gregg Popovich missed almost the entire season after suffering a stroke five games into it, and his was felt throughout the club. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson filled in more than admirably under tough circumstances and deserves kudos.
What comes next is up to Popovich and his doctors.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks with forward Victor Wembanyama during a time out in the first half of their NBA game with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. San Antonio beat Minnesota 113-112.
Health-willing, the 76-year-old Popovich will have first dibs on reclaiming his job. The Spurs will not move to fill his seat until the winningest coach in NBA history decides to vacate it.
Should Popovich choose to step down, the Spurs will have two choices. The first is to hand the reins full-time to the 38-year-old Johnson, who earned a look after guiding the Spurs through a challenging 2024-25 campaign.
The second is to open the hypothetical vacancy to outside candidates, in which case the Spurs will find no shortage of applicants.
Any basketball coach alive would love to coach Wembanyama entering his prime.
Which leads us to our next question …
2. Can Wembanyama make it all the way back?
Wembanyama was on his way to a Defensive Player of the Year trophy and All-NBA season when a blood clot issue shut him down in mid-February.
How quickly he can get back on the court – and back to being a game-changing extraterrestrial – will be the question of the summertime.
From the moment of Wembanyama’s diagnosis, the Spurs have maintained optimism he would be cleared for full participation in time for the start of training camp in the fall.
Recent NBA history is rife with blood clot patients who have attempted a return.
Chris Bosh remains the worst-case scenario. The Hall of Fame Miami Heat center was forced to retire in 2019 due to recurring blood clots.
Other NBA players to have battled blood clots – including Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, Toronto’s Brandon Ingram and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Christian Koloko – have returned on timelines similar to what the Spurs have in mind for Wembanyama.
The best-case scenario is Damian Lillard.
Milwaukee’s All-Star guard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf in March – after Wembanyama – and was cleared to resume basketball activities three weeks later. There is a chance Lillard could play for the Bucks in the playoffs this month.
Regardless of how long it takes, the return of a healthy Wembanyama would be the best addition the Spurs could muster this summer.
3. What’s next for CP3?
Chris Paul, the Spurs’ 39-year-old point guard savant, became the second-oldest player in NBA history to start all 82 games, following only Utah’s John Stockton.
He is unlikely to be the Spurs’ starting point guard at the start of next season. The Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox in February to be their point guard of the present. Paul’s return to San Antonio would likely be predicated on a willingness to come off the bench.
Paul bristled at a bench role at Golden State in 2023-24, and specifically targeted teams that would let him start during free agency search last summer.
Unless he has had a change of heart, his days in San Antonio are probably numbered. Paul has indicated a desire to keep playing past his 40th birthday. The Spurs loved him around.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) sets a pick as guard Chris Paul (3) moves the ball while defended by Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
If Paul aims to continue his career as a starter, however, he will likely have to move on.
4. What about the Spurs’ other free-agents-to-be?
With their top eight scorers under contract for next season, the Spurs don’t have an overwhelming amount of business to take care of when it comes to internal free agents.
In addition to Paul, the Spurs will have to make decisions on reserve forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, backup centers Charles Bassey and Bismack Biyombo and reserve point guard Jordan McLaughlin.
Of that group, Mamukelashvili is the most likely to return, especially if the Spurs can get him for something in the range of the $2.1 million salary he earned this season.
5. Can the Spurs strike more lottery gold?
Thanks to Miami’s play-in victory over Atlanta on Friday, which kept the Hawks out of the playoffs, the Spurs will enter the June draft with two lottery picks.
Their own pick came in with the eighth-best odds in next month’s lottery drawing, while the one obtained from Atlanta holds the 14th-best odds.
Between the two picks, the Spurs have a 29.7% chance of landing at least one of them in the top 4. Their chances of drawing the No. 1 slot – and the opportunity to draft Duke wunderkind Cooper Flagg – sit at 6.7%.
The Spurs have done well with their last two lottery picks, drafting Wembanyama first overall in 2023 and Stephon Castle – this year’s presumptive Rookie of the Year – at No. 4 last summer.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News