The San Antonio Spurs are one of the very best teams in the NBA. Their 25-10 record and three wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder are a testament to that, and they have mostly been able to weather the games where they are without Victor Wembanyama.
Four years ago, fans were calling for a total rehaul of the roster. Now that the Spurs are finally true contenders again, we can be more ticky-tacky with our criticisms.
This season, the Spurs take the 17th most 3-pointers and convert with the 18th best percentage. They are a middling shooting team at best despite boasting proven veterans like Devin Vassell and Harrison Barnes, plus solid contributors like Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie.
Spurs Need More Consistency From Shooters
The league average 3-point percentage is 36%. All four of the Spurs' designated "shooters" (Vassell, Barnes, Champoagnie, and Johnson) are above that mark. However, on any given night, they could go ice-cold from deep.
In the last ten games, Champagnie has shot under 25% from deep five times. For Johnson, Vassell, and Barnes, it's four times each. Of course, all four players have been ridiculously hot at one point or another, but there's no level of consistency.
Asking for not only talented shooters, but reliably talented shooters, is a common demand in the NBA, especially among some of the better teams.
Champagnie recently set a franchise record with 11 made 3s against the New York Knicks, although in the four games before that, he went a putrid 1-of-15 from deep. The rest of the "shooters" have similar stories.
As Barnes especially deals with recent lackluster shooting, the trade rumors surrounding the Spurs and either Trey Murphy III or Lauri Markkanen have only gained steam. Both of them are above-average shooters, and in their last ten games, only Markkanen has shot below 25% twice.
Is Barnes a long-term piece? Champagnie is on such a low salary that moving him doesn't make sense. Vassell provides defense and some creation, and Johnson is the veteran leader on the team.
The Spurs don't need someone to average 25 points; that's what Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox are for, but the Spurs are increasingly showing a need for someone who doesn't "get hot" but is instead simply reliable each and every game from deep.