San Antonio will be without its franchise centerpiece for a stretch, with Victor Wembanyama expected to miss a few weeks due to a left calf strain, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The 21-year-old big man was ruled out shortly before the Spurs’ win over the Kings, despite being listed as questionable earlier in the day with tightness in the same calf. He underwent an MRI on Sunday, and a source told ESPN he will “be reevaluated in two to three weeks.”
Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson made it clear the organization is not taking chances with its most important player.
“Obviously, we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf-tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Johnson said. “Don’t want to push it there.”
Wembanyama had logged a physical 38 minutes in San Antonio’s NBA Cup matchup against the Warriors two nights earlier, where he posted 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
It marked his third straight outing with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, tying the longest such stretch of his young career. He is also averaging career highs across the board: 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4 assists, while leading the league at 3.6 blocks per game.
Stepping into the starting role on Sunday was veteran Luke Kornet, who the Spurs specifically targeted in free agency to stabilize minutes without Wembanyama. Kornet delivered efficiently, finishing with 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting along with 3 blocks and a plus-13 performance.
San Antonio will also lean on Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo to absorb additional minutes in the frontcourt as the team enters a stretch without its defensive anchor and offensive star.
Wembanyama was seen post-game wearing a light sleeve over the injured calf but showed no outward signs of discomfort. Still, with the season long and the stakes high, the Spurs are opting for patience rather than risk.
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