Victor Wembanyama logs 17 minutes in preseason opener

SAS Forward-Center #1 Player Stats Victor Wembanyama notched nine points (3-of-6 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one block and one three-pointer in Thursday’s exhibition against the Hawks. Wembanyama had a relatively quiet night in his first preseason action, but it will change nothing about his fantasy outlook. He should go no lower than second in drafts, regardless of league format, and you can make a strong case for Wemby at 1.1. Is KAT an 'irreplaceable' piece for the Knicks? Dan Le Batard and Co. examine the Knicks' second apron issues and the idea that Karl-Anthony Towns is an "irreplaceable" piece to the roster. Is KAT an ‘irreplaceable’ piece for the Knicks? Now Playing Is KAT an 'irreplaceable' piece for the Knicks? Dan Le Batard and Co. examine the Knicks' second apron issues and the idea that Karl-Anthony Towns is an "irreplaceable" piece to the roster. 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Aside from the team and player rivalries that will add to the drama, this will also be LeBron James’ return to Los Angeles after spending the last eight seasons as a Laker. SAS Forward-Center #1 Wembanyama qualified for a five-year max extension worth 30 percent of the Spurs’ salary cap, but his decision to go with a max that takes up 25 percent of the cap gives the team a little more flexibility. The 7-foot-4 phenom helped lead San Antonio to the NBA Finals this season, and at 22, Wemby still hasn’t reached his full potential. Friday’s news will remove any potential financial drama, and the Spurs can now focus on taking care of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in the coming years. Fantasy-wise, Wembanyama is right there with Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the most valuable players regardless of league format. SAS Forward-Center #1 While he had moments of dominance in his first NBA Finals appearance, Wembanyama’s conditioning and the Knicks’ ability to limit his effectiveness at times were issues. Dominant as a rim protector in Game 5, the 7-foot-4 center was unable to assert himself consistently on the offensive end, even with Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble for most of the night. These finals will serve as a learning experience for Wembanyama, who will have an argument to be Pick 1.1 in fantasy drafts next fall. Also, keep in mind that he won’t turn 23 until January. There’s a lot more for Wembanyama to learn before he reaches his prime. SAS Center-Forward #7 Kornet, who logged four minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s Game 4 defeat, is dealing with an illness. His potential absence from Game 5 would not significantly affect the Spurs’ rotation, given his limited playing time. It’s possible that Carter Bryant would get a few more minutes off the bench, especially if the Spurs looked to keep Victor Wembanyama’s playing time in check after he logged 44 minutes in Game 4. However, given what’s on the line, it’s unlikely that Wemby would play more than 40 minutes once again. SAS Forward-Center #1 Wemby logged 44 minutes on Wednesday and put forth a strong effort. Yet, he shot inefficiently both inside and outside the arc, and couldn’t stop the bleeding well enough to prevent the Knicks from completing nearly a 30-point comeback. The Defensive Player of the Year did control the paint on that end of the floor while performing well on the glass — well enough to earn his second double-double of the series. San Antonio will likely need even more production from him on Saturday if it wants to keep its season alive. SAS Forward-Center #1 When asked about dealing with the pressure of being down 0-2, Wembanyama said that “this is what he’s built for.” He talked the talked and then walked the walk. It was exactly the type of performance the Spurs needed out of their superstar after digging themselves a big hole by dropping the first two games at home. They’ve won on the road throughout the postseason, including Game 7 against the defending champions in the series prior to this one. They did it again, and they’ll need to win at least one more in New York in order to win the series. The Spurs could even the series and reclaim homecourt advantage with a win in Game 4 on Thursday. SAS Forward-Center #1 Wembanyama was excellent in the second half as he scored 22 of his 29 points after halftime. The 22-year-old center came up short in the final minute of regulation, though. After grabbing a rebound and with the game tied, Wembanyama passed the ball to an unsuspecting Stephon Castle. The turnover was corralled by Jalen Brunson, who Wembanyama promptly fouled. Brunson made one of two free throws to give the Knicks the lead and Wembanyama missed a midrange jumper as time expired. Now the Spurs trail 2-0 as the series shifts to New York for Game 3 on Monday. SAS Forward-Center #1 Despite pretty good counting stats on both ends of the floor, Wembanyama struggled to find a rhythm and make his usual impact on the offensive end in Game 1. His offensive shortcomings consisted mostly of inefficient shooting both inside and outside the arc, as well as six turnovers in his 38 minutes. Wemby ultimately tried to will his team in the fourth quarter by tallying 11 points in the frame, but the Spurs ultimately couldn’t stop the Knicks’ comeback. San Antonio could benefit from a stronger performance from Wembanyama on Friday. SAS Forward-Center #1 Thought to be a year away from truly contending, Wembanyama and the Spurs are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. While his stat line wasn’t the gaudiest, the 7-foot-4 sensation’s fingerprints were all over Game 7. Wembanyama thoroughly outplayed Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and finished with a complete stat line. Next up for San Antonio are the Knicks, with Game 1 of the NBA Finals scheduled for Wednesday night. SAS Forward-Center #1 Wembanyama said in his postgame interview that the Spurs haven’t done anything yet. He means that the Spurs haven’t won the series yet, but San Antonio played a nearly flawless Game 6 just to stay alive in this series. The Spurs led wire-to-wire and dominated from the outset, winning the first quarter 35-22. Coming out of halftime, they outscored the Thunder 32-13 in the third quarter. Wembanyama’s 28 points were a game-high. He and the Spurs will play in the NBA’s 160th Game 7 on Saturday. Rotoworld My Favorites SAC Center #42 Player Stats Personalize your Rotoworld feed by favoriting players Maxime Raynaud finished Thursday’s exhibition against the Lakers with 13 points (5-of-8 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. The Kings were without Domantas Sabonis for Thursday’s game, so Raynaud started. An All-Rookie selection last season, the 7-foot-1 center made 56 starts for the then-injured Sabonis. Raynaud finished the defeat with a double-double, and he had 18 such games last season. With Sabonis back, Raynaud is at best a late-round option in 12-team drafts. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if his role expanded at some point, especially if the Kings moved Sabonis. SAC Forward #9 Player Stats Precious Achiuwa amassed 18 points (9-of-13 FGs), five rebounds, three assists and one steal in Thursday’s exhibition against the Lakers. After attempting just two shots in the Kings’ first meeting with the Lakers this preseason, Achiuwa was far more active on Thursday. Only Darius Acuff Jr. among the Kings’ starters took more shots, and Achiuwa shot well over 50 percent from the field. His viability as a fantasy option this season depends in part on Keegan Murray’s health, as he hasn’t played in either of Sacramento’s first two preseason games. While a healthy Murray would likely push De’Andre Hunter to the bench, his presence in the lineup could also mean fewer shots for Achiuwa. Darius Acuff Jr. finished Thursday’s exhibition against the Lakers with 12 points (4-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one assist, two steals, one block and two three-pointers. Outside of a solid finish to the first half, Acuff struggled mightily on Thursday. The rookie point guard missed his first nine field-goal attempts, and he finished with more turnovers (three) than assists (one). Reading too much into two preseason appearances would be foolish, but those who roster Acuff will need to exercise patience. LAL Guard #1 Player Stats Adou Thiero tallied six points (3-of-7 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks in Thursday’s exhibition against the Kings. Thiero has started the Lakers’ last two preseason games, and his combination of athleticism and defensive versatility could keep him in that role once the regular season begins. He didn’t offer much as a scorer against the Kings, but the second-year forward recorded four “stocks” in his 21 minutes. Thiero isn’t a must-draft player, but his role is worth watching. LAL Forward-Center #54 Player Stats Sandro Mamukelashvili tallied 19 points (7-of-10 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block and three three-pointers in Thursday’s exhibition against the Kings. After scoring 15 points as a spot starter in Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, Mamukelashvili returned to a reserve role on Thursday. He was excellent, shooting 70 percent from the field and putting up a complete stat line. While coming off the bench limits Mamukelashvili’s fantasy ceiling, his floor should be relatively safe because the Lakers need bench scoring. He’s worth considering in the late rounds of 12-team drafts. LAL Guard #15 Player Stats Austin Reaves accounted for eight points (2-of-7 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), five rebounds, eight assists and one steal in Thursday’s exhibition against the Kings. Reaves was in the Lakers’ lineup on Thursday after missing the first two preseason games with a minor ankle injury. While he didn’t shoot well, the Lakers’ guard led the team with eight assists. LeBron James’ departure puts more responsibility on Reaves’ shoulders, raising his fantasy ceiling. At this point in the preseason, Reaves has a second-round ADP, and that’s unlikely to change before the regular season begins. LAL Forward-Guard #77 Player Stats Luka Dončić recorded 23 points (6-of-16 FGs, 9-of-9 FTs), three rebounds, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers in Thursday’s exhibition against the Kings. Dončić picked up a technical foul during the third quarter of Thursday’s exhibition, but this is a good time for that to happen since they don’t carry over into the regular season. Dončić led the Lakers in points and shot attempts, and that will once again be the norm when the regular season begins. Currently boasting a top-5 ADP, Luka’s fantasy ceiling rises slightly in turnover-punt builds. SAS Guard-Forward #24 Player Stats Devin Vassell produced 12 points (4-of-8 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and two three-pointers in Thursday’s exhibition against the Hawks. Vassell’s ADP is outside the top-100, and that’s unlikely to change before the start of the regular season. In the past, he has delivered excellent fantasy value. However, San Antonio’s rotation is now far stronger than it was earlier in Vassell’s career, which lowers his fantasy ceiling. At best, he’s worth grabbing outside the first 100 picks in 12-team formats. SAS Forward-Center #1 Player Stats Victor Wembanyama notched nine points (3-of-6 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one block and one three-pointer in Thursday’s exhibition against the Hawks. Wembanyama had a relatively quiet night in his first preseason action, but it will change nothing about his fantasy outlook. He should go no lower than second in drafts, regardless of league format, and you can make a strong case for Wemby at 1.1. SAS Guard #5 Player Stats Stephon Castle amassed 14 points (5-of-8 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in Thursday’s exhibition against the Hawks. Castle isn’t exactly a polarizing player in fantasy basketball, but his low field-goal percentage knocks him down the board in category leagues. He shot well on Thursday and posted a complete stat line, though he turned the ball over twice. If Castle becomes a more consistent shooter and keeps turnovers in check, he’ll have a higher fantasy ceiling.