Charles

Bassey

Bassey logged just under 11 minutes per tilt across 19 appearances for the Spurs before tearing his ACL last season. He’s expected back at some point during the first half of the 2024-25 campaign, but he won’t be worth a look in fantasy.

The Spurs needed to waive Bassey before the three-team deal between themselves, Sacramento, and Chicago could be completed. The 2021 second-round pick missed most of last season with a torn ACL, and the Spurs are reportedly interested in re-signing Bassey if he clears waivers.

Bassey appeared in 19 games for the Spurs this season, logging minutes on the back end of the rotation. His absence won’t significantly impact fantasy basketball, but it does leave San Antonio down a big man on its roster.

One day after he went off for 30 points and 13 rebounds while playing with the Austin Spurs of the NBA G League, Bassey has been ruled out for Monday’s game. His absence won’t impact fantasy basketball, as he’s been on the back end of the Spurs’ rotation this season.

The big man played through the injury Wednesday, but he’ll need a game off Friday. It’s a disappointing development for San Antonio, as Wemby has averaged 21.8 points, 11.8 boards and 5.8 stocks across his last four games. Zach Collins, Cedi Osman and Charles Bassey could see extended run in his absence.

On a night when many Spurs struggled offensively, Osman was one of the few exceptions. The 17 points are the most he’s scored in a game this season, and Cedi’s hit double figures in back-to-back games for the first time since late-October. However, even with Devin Vassell (adductor) sidelined, there isn’t much to be gained from streaming Osman in most leagues. He was one of three Spurs reserves to hit double figures in points on Monday, with Tre Jones (11/2/5 with one 3-pointer) and Malaki Branham (10 points, one assist, and two 3-pointers) being the others. Charles Bassey grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with two points, three assists, and four blocks.

If Collins isn’t able to play, Gregg Popovich will likely either start Charles Bassey at center or move Victor Wembanyama to center and start Tre Jones. They want Wemby to play the four, but Dallas should be starting a rookie center in Dereck Lively, so San Antonio may be more open to the idea. Keep an eye out for reports on their starting unit if Collins isn’t feeling well enough to give it a go.

Yeah, this young man is special. Wembanyama’s second preseason game went as smoothly as the first did, with the rookie being able to get to his preferred spots offensively while also being a key deterrent on the defensive end of the floor. With Zach Collins (rest) getting the night off, there were stretches when Wembanyama was the lone big on the floor. However, the majority of his minutes were played alongside another big, with Charles Bassey (six points, six rebounds, one assist, and four blocks in 24 minutes) being the preferred sidekick on Friday. With each preseason outing, Wembanyama is driving up the price that fantasy managers will have to pay to roster him, whether that means selecting him earlier than one would prefer or spending even more in salary leagues.

Like the Heat, San Antonio is shorthanded for Friday’s game. As a result, Gregg Popovich will call on Sochan to run the show offensively, something the second-year forward was asked to do at times last season. Also of note is the inclusion of Bassey, who’s stepping in for Zach Collins (rest). The Spurs appear steadfast in making sure Wembanyama is sharing the court with a center who can take on the more physical matchups. That should enable the rookie phenom to have a greater impact on the action, whether on the floor with Bassey, Collins, or Dominick Barlow.

Bassey only played eight minutes before having to leave Tuesday’s game, finishing with two points, one rebound, and one blocked shot. San Antonio hosts Dallas on Wednesday, so it’s a safe bet that Bassey won’t be available for that one. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Dominick Barlow will absorb the minutes that would have gone to Bassey.