Victor Wembanyama exited the San Antonio Spurs' most recent game with a rib injury, but even without their best player, the team is in solid hands.
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, winning 115-102, although Victor Wembanyama left the game in the first half and did not return.
Officially diagnosed with a left rib contusion, the Spurs have yet to provide any real injury update on their superstar, and his MVP case is now officially in doubt.
Of course, playing without Wembanyama is nothing new to the Spurs. While he isn't "injury prone," he has missed his fair share of games this season. Without him, San Antonio has gone a solid 11-5 this season.
The Spurs went out last summer and signed Luke Kornet to a four-year, $40 million contract. After Wemby's blood clot diagnosis last season, having some insurance behind him is key.
Spurs Are in Good Hands Without Wemby
Unless he fails to hit the 65-game threshold, Wembanyama is a lock for an All-NBA team. De'Aaron Fox was an All-Star, and Stephon Castle has an All-NBA case, as well.
Plus, Kornet is one of the best backups in the league and is more than capable of slotting into the starting spot. When Wembanyama missed time earlier this season, Kornet helped keep the Spurs afloat.
"I started slowly accepting my role in my place and then all of a sudden, you know, that ego is gonna start biting back again, so I gotta you know keep that tone down," he said, joking about stealing the starting spot. "It's less exciting to talk about screening and rolling and offensive rebounds, so I'll try to block more floaters into the backboard and see if that helps."
While Kornet is one of the light-hearted players on the team, he understands the mission and identity, and that it's his job to provide stability if he has to remain in the starting lineup.
"I feel like in terms of what we're trying to do and how we're trying to play, it's all pretty consistent," he added. "Hopefully, just be able to come out with some energy."
While Kornet is not the player Wemby is (he would be the first to admit that), he is one of the most stable players on the team. Among full-time rotation players, he ranks second on the roster in win shares (behind Wemby), second in player efficiency rating (behind Wemby), and first in offensive rating.
He might not be a high-flying superstar, but he remains one of the most underrated players in the entire NBA.