More than 10 years after their NBA Finals win over the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs offense, dubbed "The Beautiful Game," is still considered one of the most effective offenses in NBA history. With Victor Wembanyama clearly the face of the organization, the Spurs are trying to surround him with players who can get him the ball. The long-held pass-first mentality is still alive and well in San Antonio.
This summer, the Spurs added Chris Paul and Stephon Castle to improve their ball movement. However, Devin Vassell is one of the most underrated playmakers in the NBA. © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Vassell's usage and assist rate has steadily improved as he gets more NBA experience, but his turnover numbers have remained steady.
Last season, he averaged a career-high 1.6 turnovers, but his usage also went up, and his passing efficiency has actually improved. His 4.
1 assists per game were the second-best on the team last season, behind only Tre Jones. Devin Vassell is blossoming into an underrated playmaker, and the Spurs can lean on him as Chris Paul teaches Stephon Castle the ropes. Last year, his AST% was fourth on the team among players who played at last 25 games Chart courtesy of @99thBasketball pic.
twitter.com/Xxhs6XCuZq Last season, Vassell's 19.1 assist percentage was behind only Jones, Blake Wesley, and Wembanyama.
His 8.6 turnover percentage was the best among rotation players, with Keldon Johnson (9.4 percent) a distant second.
With Wembanyama receiving the brunt of defensive pressure and Chris Paul running the offense, expect Vassell to play off-ball and serve as a secondary playmaker. When opponents close out on him when he gets the ball on the perimeter, he has the passing chops to find Wembanyama down low for an easy basket. Last season, only 11 players with as high of a usage rate also recorded at least four assists per night with a turnover percentage under 10 and an assist percentage better than Vassell's.
Those players were Jalen Brunson, Malcolm Brogdon, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Terry Rozier, Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, CJ McCollum, and Pascal Siakam. Among those players, Vassell had the fourth-best defensive rating. He is also the second-youngest, only two and a half months older than Maxey.
Related: San Antonio to Add NFL Team? Rival Spurs, Cowboys As the Spurs look to surround Wembanyama with pass-first players, their sharpshooter remains the most underrated playmaker in the NBA..
