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Spurs Recent Transaction Could Mean Trial by Fire for Blake Wesley

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Spurs
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated 11/16/23

With Tre Jones out in the San Antonio Spurs’ last two games, it was rather puzzling when the team assigned sophomore guard Blake Wesley to the Austin Spurs of the NBA G-League.

Jones, Wesley, and Devonte’ Graham are the only traditional point guards on the Spurs roster, although Jeremy Sochan has slowly been learning the position.

Graham, 28, has only played in two games for the Spurs for a total of 29 minutes. He hasn’t been bad, notching eight assists and six points on only two turnovers, but it’s safe to say that the Spurs are in the middle of a youth movement, and Graham simply doesn’t fit the timeline.

With no solid answer regarding when Jones will return, the Spurs have recalled Wesley from the G League, where the guard scored 14 points on inefficient shooting and dished out five assists in his lone game this season.

Wesley was drafted 25th overall last season and was noted for being incredibly raw after a single season at Notre Dame. In college, Wesley posted a similar stat line to his Austin performance. He was turnover-heavy and shot happy, but would be able to slowly adjust to the NBA, giving him time to drop his bad habits.

Now, with Jones possibly out and Graham just not seeing the court, it might be time for Wesley to sink or swim. Wesley has made 40 NBA appearances over his two seasons and has been turnover-prone. However, he is much more eager to pass compared to his college days and looks willing to get teammates the ball.

With Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama on the floor, getting the ball to the right people would be priority number one for Wesley. It’s time for a trial by fire.

The Spurs have established that they will not be winning many games this season, so rather than trying to work with established veterans, why not see just what Wesley has to offer? There’s not much to lose, and Wesley was a high-upside prospect. Still only 20 years old, it’s time to see what he brings to the table.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Spurs and was syndicated with permission.

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