Injuries have been a big part of the San Antonio Spurs’ season, with guard Devin Vassell having already missed 15 games thus far. As he has worked his way back from injury, he has played incredibly well off the bench, averaging 16 points in 24.7 minutes per game while also shooting a blistering 40% from three.
More minutes could lead to more points for Vassell and help to boost the team’s offense. However, despite expectations that Vassell will rejoin the starting lineup, interim coach Mitch Johnson should continue to keep him in the second unit.
Why? Part of the reason has been that the Spurs’ starting lineup, consisting of Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama, has played very well together.
That unit has enough shooting surrounding their best player, without any clear weak links to exploit on defense. Having a strong starting lineup is obviously a good thing, but so is having a strong bench, and San Antonio could have both.
The Spurs must continue to bring Devin Vassell off the bench
Having a bench consisting of Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Charles Bassey would be among the best second units in the NBA. Of course, Vassell and Sochan are two of the Spurs’ three best players, but Sochan and Wembanyama are not a good fit offensively.
Sochan has improved in multiple areas, save for 3-point shooting, with his shot looking noticeably worse. That should ensure Barnes’ place in the starting lineup, while Vassell and Wembanyama sharing the floor most of the time might limit both players’ effectiveness.
Having Vassell come in and cook off the bench for long stretches has worked, with him having four 20-plus point games off the bench in his first eleven games. San Antonio hasn’t had that type of consistent bench production since prime Manu Ginobili, and, at least for this season, that might be the perfect role for Vassell.
Keeping him in the second unit wouldn’t affect his playing time too much, with him being able to play as much as 28 minutes a night, including closing out games.
Another benefit to having Vassell come off the bench is that the second unit has featured awful shooting and has negatively impacted those lineups. Vassell’s shooting is a major plus, and he should continue to thrive scoring against second units while Wembanyama is off the floor.
The Spurs saw that happen in their comeback win against the Portland Trail Blazers. With Wembanyama on the bench, Vassell was able to keep the offense moving. As a result, San Antonio should keep him where he is, playing in the second unit.
