Bismack Biyombo is exactly who the Spurs need now, and in the future
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The veteran has shown what San Antonio needs from it’s big men not named Victor Wembanyama.
The NBA trade deadline feels like ages ago at this point. At the time, many called for the San Antonio Spurs to pursue another big man to back up Victor Wembanyama. Ultimately, nothing came to fruition. The Spurs were stuck with a backup big man rotation that had struggled all season. San Antonio was forced to find an upgrade when Charles Bassey and Wembanyama went down with injuries,
Enter the 32-year-old veteran, Bismack Biyombo, who has been a key contributor to a still feisty Spurs squad. Biyombo has been thrust into a starting role and has provided a jolt of energy and interior defense. He’s been exactly what San Antonio needed to finish out the year and may be the exact type of player they need to back up Wembanyama moving forward.
Biyombo’s numbers don’t jump off the page. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a block in 17.7 minutes. It’s the little things that Biyombo does that make him valuable. He’s a solid screener and roller. He and Chris Paul are reclaiming some of the synergy they had when they played together in Phoenix. He’s a physical defender with the ability to protect the rim, and he’s willing to do the work on the defensive glass. You’re not asking him to do too much outside of that. He’s your traditional rim-running, dirty work big man – and that’s exactly what the Spurs need.
No one in the league can replicate what Wembanyama does. That’s why the drop-off to the backup center is so stark. San Antonio hasn’t been able to find consistent play from its backup bigs during the Wemby era. Zach Collins was too inconsistent as a floor spacer to be effective offensively, Bassey experiences ups and downs when he can play. They need to find a consistent center that doesn’t hurt them. An energetic rim runner who can clean up the glass is a great fit.
When Wembanyama sits, the Spurs can rely on a backup five who still provides some sort of rim protection, doesn’t get crushed on the boards, and simply finishes plays offensively, whether it be on dump-offs or in the pick-and-roll.
Is Biyombo the long-term answer? Maybe not. He’s 32 years old but has clearly shown he still belongs in the NBA. He’s probably not the best option three to four years from now, but if he’s still playing at this level next season, he’d be one of the best bargain options the Spurs could find at the position.
There will be other, more expensive options in free agency that San Antonio can consider. Myles Turner, Brook Lopez, and Naz Reid would be excellent options that can provide what Biyombo does with floor spacing and more. But with limited cap space, the Spurs would need to get one of them on a discount or conduct a sign-and-trade. Chris Boucher, Precious Achiuwa, and Larry Nance Jr. would be other intriguing free-agent names. The hope with those players is that they could play alongside Wembanyama in short-stints using their versatility in ways that Biyombo probably cannot.
They could upgrade the position in the draft. Georgia big man Asa Newell is an intriguing prospect averaging 15.1 points and 6.6 rebounds. He should be available in the late-lottery range where the Spurs may be selecting. Thomas Sorber from Georgetown is another freshman to keep an eye on, averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. If San Antonio decides to wait until the second round to scoop up a big man, keep your eyes on Florida’s Alex Condon or Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner. But those players won’t be nearly as ready to contribute as Biyombo or another veteran will be.
What the Spurs do ultimately comes down to how much they value the position. If Wembanyama is your center of the future, and the way forward is playing rangy wings and forwards around him (as all signs point to,) then is it the best idea to dedicate valued assets to his backup? In that case, is it better to find cheaper but effective options like Biyombo as the backup center?
Biyombo’s presence has shown that he, or a big man like him, can add a lot of value to the Spurs. The question for this summer becomes whether his play earns him another contract as their backup big man next season, or is the example of what kind of center they want to invest in moving forward.
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Bismack Biyombo’s success a highlight in difficult month for African NBA stars
Greek-Nigerian forward Giannis Antetokounmpo secured his standing as the African NBA Player of the Season beyond doubt in February as French-Congolese center Victor Wembanyama and Cameroon-born counterpart Joel Embiid were both ruled out for the rest of 2024-25 with injury.
However, another African big man is stepping up for Wemby’s San Antonio Spurs. February saw Bismack Biyombo make his comeback in the league.
Meanwhile, British-Nigerian star OG Anunoby played a part in one of the league’s most exciting February fixtures as the New York Knicks came from behind to edge the Memphis Grizzlies.
After a tough start to February, the Bucks picked up form towards the end of it. Antetokounmpo continues to lead from the front.
February saw him average 24.8 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Some of his best work came in the paint in the last week of February, as he posted 16 rebounds in a 120-113 win over the Miami Heat and then 19 in a 121-112 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid was expected to be one of Antetokounmpo’s rivals for the MVP award, but has never really gotten going this season with persistent injuries. Now, a left knee injury has ruled him out for the rest of the season.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama almost kept pace with Antetokounmpo in the early months of the season but has now himself been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
That leaves a clear path for Antetokounmpo to finish the season as Africa’s standout player. While the likes of Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) — of Nigerian heritage through his father’s side — and Cameroon-born Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers) continue to produce high output, keeping pace with Antetokounmpo remains a step too far for them.
While February was a difficult month for Wembanyama — a big man with ties to DR Congo through his father — it was a superb one for Bismack Biyombo — another Spurs center with ties to Africa, as he was born in Lubumbashi.
Wemby was still fit and firing when the Spurs signed Biyombo on a 10-day contract as a free agent. However, the timing proved perfect as the reigning Rookie of the Year was ruled out for the rest of the season less than two weeks later.
Biyombo made the most of his opportunity and saw his deal extended. He may not be able to replace Wembanyama, but back-to-back double-doubles in points and rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans showed they at least have a capable 32-year-old veteran on their team who deserves a chance to prolong his career playing among the world’s best.
While Bismack Biyombo’s comeback may have been the most unexpected African success story in February, it was British-Nigerian small forward/guard OG Anunoby who had the most memorable moment.
With 4.3 seconds left on the clock, he sunk a memorable game-winner against the Memphis Grizzlies in a 114-113 triumph. Jalen Brunson had drawn multiple defenders and then picked Anuoby out and he repaid his teammate’s decision to trust him to complete the comeback.
Currently third in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics, the Knicks have every chance of making a strong playoff run this season and their three-point shooting is one of the reasons they are among the teams to watch in the NBA. With Anunoby in fine form at a crucial point in the season, he is likely to play a central role.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from down nine in the final six minutes for their 13th straight victory, 118-117 over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
Cleveland led 87-83 after three quarters, but Charlotte rallied with a 21-8 run for a 104-95 lead with 5:41 to play.
The Cavaliers responded by outscoring the Hornets 25-15 to end the game.
“Thirteen in a row, yes, we’re in a good groove,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We had to scratch and claw these last couple of games which is great for playoff prep. When our energy is high it’s really tough to beat us.”
Darius Garland added 20 points to help the Cavaliers improve to 53-10. Evan Mobley scored 19 points, De’Andre Hunter had 15, Jarrett Allen contributed 14 and Sam Merrill chipped in 12.
Miles Bridges scored 46 points for Charlotte. His shot from half court at the buzzer was off the mark. The Hornets have lost nine straight to fall to 14-48.
The Cavaliers have 13 straight wins and have scored 110-plus points in each game. That is tied for the second-longest streak in NBA history, trailing only the 1986 Celtics, who had 14 straight, according to ESPN Research.
Cleveland has three winning streaks of 12 or more games this season, the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.
Cleveland was 43 of 51 on free throws, its most attempts in a game since 2007. And Mitchell, who accounted for six of the eight misses, converted nine straight before missing his last two (with 4.8 seconds left) to finish 12 of 18 overall.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
