The San Antonio Spurs are trying to build a contender around Victor Wembanyama. Young players like Zach Collins, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan are all apart of a quality young core. San Antonio's depth is questionable though. That said, offseason addition Cedi Osman has impressed Gregg Popovich so far during the NBA preseason.
“He’s a pro. He’s a tough kid. He’s confident, a team player,” Popovich said of Osman, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “He is just solid. He’s doing well at both ends.”
Spurs: Cedi Osman playing well during NBA preseason
Osman has been in the NBA since 2017 and previously spent his entire career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 28-year-old has never been a star in the league, but he's emerged as a valuable role player.
With Cleveland, he averaged 9.7 points per game on 35.3 percent three-point shooting. He plays hard on both ends of the floor, which is something Popovich loves to see.
The Spurs are still young and inexperienced for the most part. As a result, they probably won't contend just yet. However, they could surprise people and make a run. Victor Wembanyama's ceiling combined with other talented players on the roster may lead to a big 2023-24 campaign.
Depth is key though. Teams that have found success in recent years always feature role players capable of performing well. The Golden State Warriors have proven this during their dynasty.
The Spurs will need players like Cedi Osman to step up and lead the second unit. Osman is a veteran on this young Spurs squad as well, so he has a tremendous opportunity to step into a leadership role.
It will be interesting to see how Osman fares in his first season with the Spurs. Perhaps he's on the verge of his best season yet given this new role.