The Spurs way is a strong way

All-Star Game uniforms need a local re-design

Gregg Popovich signed a five-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season. If that seems like a long time to coach Victor Wembanyama, recall that Pop is only guaranteed to mind Victor through the same age Tim Duncan was when Duncan visited the Orlando Magic as a free agent candidate in 2000.

As all rookies from the 1995, 1996 and 1997 class, the 24-year old Duncan earned full and unrestricted free agency in 2000 after completing only three seasons with the Spurs. The NBA shut the door on this blip in labor autonomy in 1999, a one-time leverage shift toward league’s most-recent generation which we’ll never see collectively bargained again.

Fight for the rest of the first-rounders but don’t cry for Wembanyama, he’s due for his own five-year contract extension after three NBA seasons, a cut above the ink drying on Anthony Edwards’ five-year, $260 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The fourth year of Victor’s rookie scale contract will be worth nearly twice as much what Duncan made in the first three years of Tim’s last-century rookie contract ($2.97 million, $3.41 million, $3.86 million) combined.

San Antonio’s gotten that more expensive. If the league allows it, Pop can rent Wembanyama a place.

We don’t know if the Spurs rest their rookie on the tail of back-to-back runs, it feels like the right thing to do, he is 7-5. That path is uncertain, what is committed is Popovich’s sense of whatever.