Spurs duo Victor Wembanyama-Chris Paul's first challenger, revealed

Spurs fans excited to watch the first-time duo of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul should tune in to opening night of the 2024-25 NBA season. The team has just released its schedule for the season, and first on the list is a road game against the Dallas Mavericks, headlined by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. This game will also see the debut of ex-Splash Brother Klay Thompson in a Mavericks uniform after the blockbuster deal that pried him away from the Golden State Warriors.

Both teams will play their season opener on October 24, as reported by Marc Stein on X, formerly Twitter. Fans can also watch the game on TNT, perhaps a sign of the NBA's intent to anoint Wembanyama as the next face of the league.

New look Spurs

Once a key piece for a Suns team that reached the NBA Finals, Chris Paul has now become a journeyman of sorts. The Suns traded him for Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, as they went all in on a Big Three with Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker. Then, the Wizards dealt him to the Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole.

In Paul's lone season with the Warriors, he played 58 games and averaged 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds. It was a decent showing, but after the Sacramento Kings eliminated them from the play-in, the Warriors decided not to retain his services and waived him in free agency.

So, Chris Paul signed with the Spurs for a chance to mentor the generational prospect Victor Wembanyama, last season's Rookie of the Year. He was also a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, ultimately bowing out to Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert. In his debut season with the Spurs, Wemby played 71 games and averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.

Paul's 19 years of NBA experience and basketball IQ should be a perfect match for a Spurs team still learning to play with a bonafide superstar. The team finished last season with a dismal 22-60 record, despite Wembanyama looking like a certified all-time player. If Paul's leadership pans out, the Spurs might be a legitimate threat to make the playoffs, the same way he guided a young Oklahoma City Thunder team to the postseason in 2020.

More new looks

Last season, the Mavericks reached the Finals for the first time since their championship year in 2011. However, the Mavs lost to the Boston Celtics in five games, prompting the front office to make some changes and acquire new players. One of these acquisitions was the massive six-team sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson, who was also coming off a disappointing final year with the Warriors.

Now, the team hopes to bring out the best in Thompson by forming a Big Three with Doncic and Irving. Teams forming a star trio in recent years haven't quite lived up to the hype, though, so we'll have to see if this grand experiment brings the Mavs their second title.