Immediately after the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs were linked to a former Victor Wembanyama teammate in NBA trade rumors, but he has since fallen off and is no longer a viable target.
In the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs made the easiest pick in NBA history, selecting French standout Victor Wembanyama from the Metropolitans 92 team. The rest is history.
However, Wembanyama was not the only Frenchman who was highly-touted that year. The Washington Wizards traded up one spot with the Indiana Pacers to select forward Bilal Coulibaly, who was one of Wembanyama's teammates both in the French League and on the National Team.
Like Wembanyama, Coulibaly was expected to be a high-level defender. So far, in three seasons, that has been the case, although his offense has never really blossomed, despite elite athletic tools.
This season, he is averaging career-lows in points per game, 3-point percentage, and field goal percentage. In the Spurs' 119-94 win over Washington, he only mustered three points.
He was once the most highly sought-after Spurs' trade target. In fact, I wrote admiringly about him in 2024 and encouraged the Spurs to add him, no matter the cost.
I can admit that I was wrong.
When he was drafted, he was expected to eventually become a better two-way player than both Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, touted as a better offensive version of Jeremy Sochan while still being a menace on defense. This season, he has been incredibly passive, and his standing as a key member of the Wizards' future has been called into question.
While a change of scenary might still do him good, the Spurs should not break the bank to add him.
Granted, injuries have hampered his young and promising career, but he's now facing an uphill battle. He is due for a contract extension this summer, but he might still have a lot to prove before the Wizards commit to him long-term.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, he was on the end of the bench for the French team. Of course, Les Bleus had more experienced players on their roster, so his diminished role was expected.
In his last two NBA seasons, however, he has been unreliable on offense and downright terrible from behind the arc in some games. Granted, the Wizards aren't exactly trying to win games, but Coulibaly was expected to be a key reason for their future success. So far, he hasn't really caught up.
The Spurs were once expected to target plenty of Wembanyama's international teammates. Guerschon Yabusele was also a name to watch, although after his promising campaign in Philadelphia last season, he is languishing at the end of the New York Knicks' bench.
At this point, players without a longstanding connection to Wembanyama, like De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have all stepped up, and it's safe to say that the Spurs' young core is already in San Antonio.