Devin Vassell Is Proving the Spurs Right-And Then Some
When the San Antonio Spurs locked in Devin Vassell with a five-year, $135 million extension, the reaction around the league was a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism. Vassell had shown flashes-he could score, he could create a bit, and he clearly had the tools.
But he was doing it on a Spurs team that, at the time, wasn’t anywhere near the playoff picture. The deal wasn’t about what he’d done.
It was about what the Spurs believed he could become.
Fast forward to the second year of that contract, and Vassell is starting to validate every bit of that investment-not by becoming a high-usage star, but by evolving into exactly the kind of player championship teams need.
Let’s start with the basics. Vassell’s scoring average has dipped slightly-he’s putting up 15.7 points per game, which would be his lowest mark in the last four seasons.
But that number doesn’t tell the full story. In fact, it barely scratches the surface.
What really matters is how he’s scoring and how efficiently he’s doing it. His effective field goal percentage is at a career high, and he’s knocking on the door of 40% from deep.
That’s elite territory for a wing who doesn’t dominate the ball. Add in the fact that his overall impact-measured by metrics like EPM, which evaluates a player's influence on both ends of the floor-is sitting in the 81st percentile league-wide, and it’s clear: Vassell is quietly becoming one of the most valuable role players in the Western Conference.
This is exactly the version of Vassell the Spurs were betting on. He’s not just putting up empty stats on a rebuilding team anymore.
He’s thriving in a system that’s starting to take shape around Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and the rising Dylan Harper. And he’s doing it without needing the ball in his hands every possession.
That’s the beauty of Vassell’s game right now-he fits. He understands his role, and he plays it with a level of efficiency and consistency that coaches dream about.
He doesn’t need to light up the scoreboard every night, but he can when the situation calls for it. That’s a luxury for any team, especially one with multiple high-usage stars.
At 25, Vassell probably isn’t headed for All-NBA honors, and that’s perfectly fine. The Spurs don’t need him to be that.
What they need-and what they’re getting-is a reliable, two-way wing who can space the floor, defend his position, and pick his spots to attack. He’s the connective tissue between the stars and the system.
That kind of player might not make headlines every night, but they’re essential to winning basketball.
Finding that balance in a wing is no easy task. Some guys want to do too much.
Others aren’t capable of doing enough. Vassell has found the sweet spot.
He’s giving the Spurs just what they need, when they need it, and doing it at a level that justifies every dollar of his contract.
In a league where wing depth can make or break a contender, the Spurs have quietly locked in a piece that fits their future. Devin Vassell might not be the face of the franchise, but he’s becoming one of its most important pieces.