NBA Rumors: 5 ideal stars Spurs can realistically pair with Victor Wembanyama

1. Spurs can pair Victor Wembanyama and Trae Young

Sources close to Trae Young believe he is open to playing with Wembanyama in San Antonio, per Matt Moore of The Action Network. The Hawks are currently seven games below .500 with no discernible direction as a franchise. There's a good chance the roster around Young is gutted at the trade deadline. Eventually, both Young and Atlanta will have to take stock of the situation and consider change.

Young is probably the ideal Wembanyama co-star that can realistically hit the market. Their skill sets blend perfectly. Young is the league's most prolific halfcourt creator, manipulating defenses with flavorful handles, bursty speed, and mesmeric passing chops. He currently is second in assists per game (10.9) while averaging 27.5 points on .422/.363/.855 splits in 36.5 minutes.

Young would supply the Spurs with a source of paint pressure, 3-point volume, and true offensive ingenuity. Plug Young's bubbly shot creation in two-man actions with a 7-foot-4 Swiss Army Knife, and defenses won't have many answers.

Wembanyama is dying for easier shot attempts in San Antonio. The Spurs' most productive basketball occurs when Tre Jones shares the court with their new alpha. Young would feed Wemby on lobs and set up plenty of easy finishes out of the pick-and-roll.

On the flip side, Wembanyama's ability to face up and drive the lane would allow Young to expand his repertoire off the ball. Wemby's passing has been a treat to watch lately. San Antonio would have the luxury of engineering DHOs and inverted pick-and-rolls to maximize the scoring gravity of their two stars. Wembanyama picking up steam downhill while Young screens and sprints to the 3-point line is quite the thought.

On defense, Young has competed well this season. He's getting stops at the point of attack and putting in the effort. Still, there are natural limitations for skinny 6-foot-2 guards. Thankfully, Wembanyama can clean up messes and wall off the paint. As far as hypothetical two-man pairings go, few top this.