Could the San Antonio Spurs have a next-generation version of the "Twin Towers" next season? ESPN's new NBA mock draft opens the door to that possibility.
On Monday night, the Spurs took a big step closer to reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 when they won Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. With Victor Wembanyama, arguably the best player in the NBA today, San Antonio has a very real chance to win the franchise's sixth championship next month.
Still, while almost all of the organization's attention is on the West Finals, they must also look forward to June's NBA Draft. Well, when it comes to their selection at 20th overall, ESPN's Jeremy Wu predicts the Spurs will select Kentucky big man Jaden Quaintance.
Quaintance is a risky selection as he played only four games in his first season with the Wildcats after suffering a serious knee injury, including a torn ACL. Wu reported, "Although he looked explosive and in good shape at his Pro Day, many NBA observers in the stands noticed he was favoring his right foot."
Could Wembanyama and Quantance be 'Twin Towers' 2.0 for Spurs?
If he gets a clean bill of health, Wu notes that the 6-foot-10 tall man could help form a very nasty defensive combo with Vembanyama (7 feet 5 inches).
"San Antonio is heavy in perimeter talent and should consider young frontcourt depth with this pick. The Spurs have the advantage of Victor Wembanyama being able to pair effectively with almost any big front, his shooting and rim protection enabling a wide range of lineups. Quaintance could make a formidable defensive pairing here in the best case scenario."
-Jeremy Wu
If Quaintance can live up to his potential, which will take some time as he is still only a teenager, he and the French phenom could form one of the greatest duos in Spurs history, a new version of the "Twin Towers". That duo paired Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson for three seasons from 2000–2003, making the playoffs each season and winning the championship the third year running.
Robinson, 7-foot-1, and Duncan, 6-foot-11, were a dominant front-court duo due to their blend of skill, athleticism and toughness. Vembanyama and Quaintance are a little different, but they can stick together for a long time and develop into an effective duo on defense.
