In the San Antonio Spurs' most recent win over the New York Knicks, Victor Wembanyama missed most of the fourth quarter after a knee injury. He hobbled to the locker room, although he finished the game on the bench, and he did not seem too concerned about the long-term effects.

Of course, the Spurs have long been cautious with their best player, and as they prepare for a road game against the Indiana Pacers, Wembanyama did not travel to the Midwest.

Of course, the Spurs will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, so it's expected that the team is just being extra careful with their star.

On Thursday, Wembanyama underwent an MRI on his knee, which revealed no damage. After he officially misses Friday's game, he will only have four games left to miss before he is ineligible for individual awards for the second season in a row.

While Wembanyama winning his first Defensive Player of the Year or making his first All-NBA Team would be worth celebrating, the Spurs could find themselves in a better financial position if he is not eligible for the supermax contract.

Of course, the Spurs are expected to offer him the biggest contract possible, and there's no indication that negotiating will strain the relationship between player and team, although the league's collective bargaining agreement limits how much teams can offer under-decorated players.

With Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper all eventually due for rookie extensions, savvy financial moves are a must for the front office. De'Aaron Fox is already inked to a four-year max extension, so money could get tight very soon for the Spurs.

If Wembanyama misses more time this season, it could alleviate the monetary burden Brian Wright and the rest of the front office feel, although asking Wembanyama to sit out in exchange for a smaller contract is a hard sell. If it happens naturally, so be it, but if the Spurs get into a load management conflict with Wemby, expect it to sour their excellent relationship.

For now, of course, everything is speculative. The only thing we know for sure is that Wembanyama will not play tonight in Indianapolis, although his injury status should be upgraded before the Spurs host the Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center.

Even without Wembnayama, the Spurs are six-point favorites over the defending Eastern Conference champions. Of course, Indiana has their own injuries to worry about.