The San Antonio Spurs will miss some of their core players, with Victor Wembanyama expected to miss several weeks due to a strained left calf, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The 21-year-old big man was ruled out shortly before the Spurs' win over the Kings, although he was listed as doubtful earlier in the day with calf tightness. He underwent an MRI on Sunday and a source told ESPN he will be “re-evaluated in two to three weeks.”
Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson made it clear the team won't take a chance on its most important player.
“Obviously, what we’ve seen around the league recently is that the issue of calf tightness cannot be taken lightly,” Johnson said. “Don’t want to push it out there.”
Two days ago, Wembanyama played 38 minutes in the San Antonio Spurs' NBA Cup game against the Warriors, scoring 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
It was his third consecutive game with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, tying the longest scoring streak of his young career. He averaged career highs of 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4 assists per game, while leading the league with 3.6 blocks per game.
Veteran Luke Kornet was the starter on Sunday, with the Spurs specifically targeting him in free agency to stabilize playing time without Wembanyama. Cornet performed efficiently, scoring 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting, plus 3 blocks and a +13 performance.
The Spurs will also rely on Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo to absorb extra minutes in the frontcourt as the team enters a period without its defensive anchors and offensive stars.
After the race, Wembanyama was seen wearing a thin sleeve over his injured calf but showed no signs of discomfort. Still, with the season getting longer and the stakes mounting, the Spurs are choosing patience over risk.
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