Will This Duo Lead The Spurs’ Next Dynasty?

The San Antonio Spurs are going through an emotional roller coaster right now. Now a playoff contender thanks to 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, they’re figuring out what they need as they evolve. With that being said, Wembanyama is their only player currently playing at an All-Star level. Consequently, the thinking is that the Spurs could use a talent upgrade.

In terms of a short-term solution, Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler or Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal could come in handy. Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young has often been suggested as co-star. However, with the complications that come with trading for premier talent, the Spurs may prefer to build organically. If so, BYU commit and projected 2026 No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is already eyeing a partnership with Wembanyama.

Wembanyama “is just ridiculous; the things he does are just crazy,” Dybantsa opines, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “I just think we would’ve been a crazy duo. Now the odds of that happening are very slim. But I mean, it was just a thought that came up in my mind when he got drafted. But you never know.”

Will Victor Wembaynama, AJ Dybantsa Duo Lead The Spurs’ Next Dynasty?

As Dybantsa notes, the chances of the Spurs being able to draft him are slim.

Just about everything would have to go right for the BYU commit while just about everything went wrong for San Antonio. How else would he be a top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft class and the Spurs have the opportunity to draft him?

With that being said, no player has single-handedly won a game. Yet, Wembanyama can turn the tides in San Antonio’s favor on any given day. Capable of influencing every facet of the game, the French pivot doesn’t just put on a show, his showcases lead to tangible results. As he continues to evolve, the hope is that he balances out to have a Nikola Jokic-esque effect on offense. Until then, the Spurs will gladly settle for him being a nightly quintuple-double threat.

Unless Wembanyama misses a significant stretch of games though, the Spurs are likely to remain competitive. They could improve their chances of landing a lottery pick by tanking, perhaps by trading Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson. Yet, that’s never been the route San Antonio has taken. They’ve had to go through a rebuild in the years since Tim Duncan retired, but only after LaMarcus Aldridge fizzled out and they had a falling out with Kawhi Leonard.

Maybe Dybantsa will be worth a change of direction. He is the rare high school prospect who legitimately looks like a potential NBA star. Perhaps even a superstar.

With the Spurs’ overall talent deficiency, he and Wembanyama could form the tag team that helps a developing dynasty take the next step. More creative off the bounce than Vassell and seemingly a better shooter than Johnson, Dybantsa’s the best of both worlds.