Yaxel Lendeborg’s early surge with the Golden State Warriors is shining a brighter light on a move the San Antonio Spurs already made: trading for Tarris Reed Jr.
The connection is pretty simple. Both players entered the league as older rookies, each 23 years old in their first NBA season. That age factor likely pushed them down draft boards, even though Lendeborg was still taken 11th and was viewed as one of the best all-around prospects.
Reed Jr. fits that same mold. He looks ready for the league right now, and his best calling card is already clear: rebounding. He hasn’t seen much run yet, but there’s a real chance he carves out a role this season.
That opportunity could come sooner rather than later. Luke Kornet hasn’t played well, and that opens a path for Reed Jr. to get on the floor.
So far, Reed Jr. has logged only 20 minutes this season. Lendeborg, by contrast, has started and is averaging 22.3 points in 32.2 minutes per game. The Spurs won’t hand Reed Jr. that kind of workload, but the early returns around Lendeborg are still useful because they reinforce the value of an older rookie who can contribute quickly.
For San Antonio, Reed Jr. looks more like insurance than a featured piece. He’s there as a safety net behind Victor Wembanyama and Kornet, both of whom are expected to miss time this season. That makes having a playable third big man a real necessity.
The Spurs have lived through the alternative before. Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo, and Mason Plumlee all came through, and none of them could be counted on to reliably handle minutes. Reed Jr. gives San Antonio a better chance of avoiding that problem.
There’s also the bigger development picture. Reed Jr. is older than fellow Spurs rookies Jayden Quaintance, as well as Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, but that isn’t a flaw. He brings more than 100 games of college experience, which means he doesn’t need a long runway.
Lendeborg’s strong start has only made that point louder. Older rookies can still matter right away, and that’s part of what makes the Spurs’ trade for Reed Jr. look even stronger now.
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Victor Wembanyama has been central to that identity, using his shot-blocking and overall defensive presence to spark runouts before opposing teams can get set. The Spurs recently piled up 26 fast-break points in a win over the Utah Jazz, the kind of night that shows how dangerous they can be when the defense is dictating the terms. The question now is whether this early formula can hold up once opponents start making a point to take it away. [Read more 🡒]