By Jeje Gomez | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-09-19 09:04:08
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。
不久之前，德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 和凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 曾是马刺队的头号球星。尽管那个赛季球队战绩糟糕，但这两位自家培养的青年才俊却打出了亮眼数据，看起来就像是冉冉升起的新星。他们双双获得了长期合同，似乎已是球队核心阵容的一部分。
NBA的风云变幻就是如此之快。通过选秀迎来维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 以及通过交易得到德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)，彻底改变了球队的层级结构。引进比那些主导摆烂赛季的球员更出色的干将，本就是球队计划的一部分，但约翰逊和瓦塞尔从核心支柱迅速转变为即将进入成败关键赛季的角色，其速度之快仍然令人惊讶。
说这两位年轻的老将正在为自己的NBA生涯前景而战可能有些言过其实，但本赛季的表现，或将决定他们在圣安东尼奥下一支伟大球队中扮演何等重要的角色，又或者他们是否会沦为潜在的交易筹码。马刺队无疑希望他们能茁壮成长，因为一旦如此，球队的赛季将会成功得多。
约翰逊和瓦塞尔是两种截然不同的球员，但最佳状态下的他们，都能为2025/26赛季的马刺队带来巨大帮助。作为队内效力时间最长的球员，同时也是美国国家队的金牌得主，约翰逊见证了前文班时代的起起落落，并适应了球队要求他扮演的任何角色——从在“气泡”赛区于轮换阵容中觅得一席之地的角色球员，到球队推倒重建时的进攻核心，再到如今承担的第六人职责。他显然深受队友、教练组以及管理层的尊重。对于一个珍视延续性和团队至上态度的球队而言，即便约翰逊不在场上，他依然价值连城。
从球员角度看，他的适配性并非天衣无缝，但也并非糟糕透顶。马刺队需要侧翼射手。约翰逊在这方面并非最可靠的人选，但三年前他曾以40%的命中率投进了近400记远投，这表明他具备投三分的能力。上赛季他接球就投机会的命中率仅为30%，这似乎是个反常现象，因为在此前的三年里，他在这类出手的命中率均在35%或更高。约翰逊的无球能力也很出色，他是一名优秀的突破得分手，在移动中接球时威胁最大。在一个拥有组织者的体系中扮演戏份更小的角色，他有望打出一个高效的得分赛季。
同样地，瓦塞尔也可以通过承担更少的责任来找到自己的理想定位。他拥有致命的跳投，并且作为终结者的能力逐年大幅提升，但他似乎总是更适合担任第三选择，而非进攻引擎。有文班亚马和福克斯在阵，他可以安心地扮演一名空间拉开者的角色，在关键时刻提供自主创造进攻机会的能力，并能在带领替补阵容时承担更多的进攻重任。上赛季末段，他的防守有所回暖，如果在进攻端节省下的精力能让他在防守端兑现其作为破坏性极强的团队防守者的潜力，那么他或许正是那种能帮助完善首发阵容以及其他缺乏投射能力阵容的完美拼图。
短期内，他也代表了马刺以远低于顶薪的代价拥有第三核心的最佳机会。瓦塞尔签下了一份包含严苛条款但尚属合理的续约合同，其中包括了诸如三分球命中数进入联盟前15或入选NBA最佳阵容等激励条款。这些目标被认为不太可能实现是有充分理由的，但如果他真的达到了那样的高度，圣安东尼奥应该会很乐意为这块完美的第三块拼图多付一些钱。这将使他们能够在等待斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 或迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 成长到那个水平的同时，不必通过自由球员市场或交易，用一份巨额合同去增添另一位明星球员，就能组建起一支有竞争力的队伍。
约翰逊的领导力与无球端的拼劲，瓦塞尔的火力与尚未完全开发的潜力。在即将到来的这个赛季，这一切都可能在这两位球员身上融为一体，他们不仅个人能力得到提升，还能在轮换阵容中找到最理想的位置，帮助马刺队令人刮目相看。这是有可能的。然而，同样不能排除的是，过往的问题会卷土重来，这两位已在圣安东尼奥效力多时的球员，最终会发现自己深陷交易流言之中。
约翰逊的成长早已停滞，只有练出可靠的外线投射或在新赛季展现出防守能力，才能让他转变为一名全面的球员。如果投篮不进，或者命中率徘徊在联盟平均水准，那么球队可能很难有理由长期留下他。防守端的飞跃将有助于他稳固地位，但这似乎不太可能。至于瓦塞尔，他融入体系的能力有时也会变成一个问题，因为他谦让的倾向可能导致他在某些时段影响力不足。他的健康状况和防守强度，在目前也同样是未知数。
任何在过去几年里看过马刺队比赛的人都了解这两名球员的缺点。虽然似乎没有必要过多纠结于此，但我们必须将这些问题牢记在心。如果他们能够克服这些弱点，无论是通过适应能够凸显其优势的角色，还是通过改进自身的不足，圣安东尼奥都有可能在下赛季带来惊喜。鉴于他们的经验，以及球队对一名三威胁得分手和一位具备射程的攻防兼备型替补前锋的需求，瓦塞尔和约翰逊可以说是银黑军团在短期内的两大X因素球员。
球队重建往往会到达这样一个节点：那些在初期曾扮演重要角色的自家培养的球员，会发现自己逐渐失去其核心地位，因为他们与明星球员的适配性变得可疑，或者他们的缺点变得难以掩盖。有时，分道扬镳是可行的——雷霆队和约什·吉迪 (Josh Giddey) 就是最好的例子——但放手总是痛苦的。希望约翰逊和瓦塞尔能够展现出最好的自己，避免许多处境相似的球员最终无法逃脱的命运。
点击查看原文：The 2025/26 season could be a make-or-break year for Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell
The 2025/26 season could be a make-or-break year for Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell
Not long ago, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson were the Spurs’ best players. The team was awful during that season, but the two homegrown talents put up numbers and looked like young up-and-comers. Both got long-term deals and seemed to be part of the core.
How quickly things change in the NBA. The arrival of Victor Wembanyama in the draft and De’Aaron Fox through trade completely altered the team’s hierarchy. It was the plan all along to bring guys who were better than the ones who presided over tanking seasons, but it’s still surprising how quickly Johnson and Vassell went from lynchpins to now entering make-or-break seasons.
To say that the two young veterans are playing for their NBA future would be an overstatement, but this year could determine how significant a role they will play in San Antonio’s next great team or whether they are potential trade pieces. The Spurs should hope that they thrive because their season could be much more successful if they do.
Johnson and Vassell are vastly different players, but the best version of both could be massively helpful for the 2025/26 Spurs. Johnson, the longest tenured player on the team and a gold medalist with Team USA, saw the ups and downs of the pre-Wemby era and adapted to any role asked of him, from bit player who found a place in the rotation at the bubble, to offensive centerpiece when the team stripped things down, and now to sixth-man duties. He’s clearly respected by his teammates and the coaching staff and front office. For a franchise that values continuity and a team-first attitude, Johnson is valuable even when he’s not on the floor.
As a player, the fit is not as seamless, but not terrible, either. The Spurs need wing shooters. Johnson is not the most reliable at it, but he shot 40 percent from outside on almost 400 attempts three years ago, which shows that he can make threes. The 30 percent he shot on catch-and-shoot opportunities last season seems to be an aberration, as he shot 35 percent on higher on those looks on the prior three years. Johnson is also good off-ball because he’s a good scorer on drives who thrives when he can catch the ball already in motion. In a smaller role next to creators, he could have an efficient scoring season.
Vassell could similarly find an ideal role by getting less responsibility. He has a deadly jumper and improved massively as a finisher year over year, but he always seemed better suited to be a third option rather than an offensive engine. With Wembanyama and Fox in tow, he could settle in as a floor spacer who offers shot creation in a pinch and can take over a bigger offensive load with bench units. His defense perked up late last season, and if saving energy on the other end allows him to live up to his potential as a disruptive team defender, he could be exactly the type of player that helps round out the starting lineup and other shooting-starved units.
He also represents the best opportunity for the Spurs to have a third linchpin for much less than the max in the short term. Vassell signed an onerous but reasonable extension that features incentives like finishing top 15 in the league in three-pointers made or making an All-NBA team. Those are considered unlikely for good reason, but if he reaches those heights, San Antonio should be happy to pay a little more for the perfect third piece that would allow them to field a competitive team without having to add another star on a massive contract through free agency or trade while they wait for Stephon Castle or Dylan Harper to get to that level.
Johnson’s leadership and off-ball ferocity, Vassell’s firepower and untapped potential. It could all come together for those two this upcoming season, as they improve individually and find their ideal place in the rotation, helping the Spurs turn heads. It’s possible. Alas, it’s also not out of the question that past issues rear their heads again, and two guys who have been in San Antonio for a while find themselves in trade rumors.
Johnson’s development stagnated long ago, and only a reliable outside shot or newfound defensive competence can turn him into a well-rounded player. If the shot doesn’t fall, or it falls at around league average, it could be hard to justify keeping him long-term. A leap on defense would help his case, but it seems unlikely. As for Vassell, his ability to blend in sometimes turns into a problem because his tendency to defer can lead to stretches of low impact. His health and intensity of defense are also question marks at this point.
Anyone who has watched the Spurs in the past few years knows the flaws of both players. While it seems unnecessary to dwell on them, it’s imperative to keep them in mind. If they can overcome them, either by settling into roles that highlight their strengths or by improving upon their weaknesses, San Antonio could surprise next season. Vassell and Johnson are arguably the two swing players for the Silver and Black in the short term, due to their experience and the team’s need for a three-level scorer and a two-way backup forward with range.
Rebuilds often reach a point at which homegrown players who were once important early on find themselves losing their standing as core guys, as their fit with stars becomes questionable or their shortcomings get hard to mask. Sometimes moving on works — the Thunder and Josh Giddey are prime examples — but it can be painful to let go. Hopefully, Johnson and Vassell will show their best version of themselves and sidestep the fate many in a similar circumstance couldn’t avoid.
By Jeje Gomez, via Pounding The Rock