NBA insider casts doubt over Victor Wembanyama and Spurs’ Play-In chances citing critical factor 

The San Antonio Spurs brought veteran reinforcements around franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama. They added Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes to the roster. The new additions, coupled with Wembanyama's projected sophomore leap, could lift San Antonio off the bottom of the Western Conference.

However, NBA insider Kelly Iko has doubted the team's play-in prospects.

"If we're evaluating San Antonio's offseason against the rest of the Western Conference in a vacuum, I'm not sure it moves the needle enough to get them into Play-In conversations," Iko wrote for The Athletic on Thursday.

The Spurs have more experience with the likes of Paul and Barnes, but neither necessarily have been difference makers on their past teams. Paul, 39, is potentially playing his final years in the NBA. Injuries have held him back from playing at an all-star caliber level over the past few seasons.

Meanwhile, Barnes is one of the top role players in the league but not a star addition that could bolster the Spurs' hopes of a Play-In Tournament finish.

The Spurs probably seem better than all but two lottery teams in the conference. The West has at least 11 postseason contenders, better positioned on paper than Victor Wembanyama and Co.

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A monster Victor Wembanyama season probably gets Spurs through to the play-in

All hope is not lost for the Spurs if they intend to contend for a Play-In Tournament berth in Victor Wembanyama's second season. He remains the vital cog in the team making that leap. Eleven teams better the Spurs ahead of next season, but a handful could drop in the standings, giving San Antonio the margin it needs to finish as a top 10 team.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are among those who might end up with a worse record than last season when they finished 10th and 11th, respectively. The wildcards to not make the postseason include the LA Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings.

If Victor Wembanyama explodes for an MVP-caliber season in his sophomore year and the Spurs remain within touching distance of these teams, we could see an unpredictable finish to the season.

He showed flashes of his untapped potential in his rookie year, putting himself in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year honors. Offensively, Wembanyama struggled initially but found his rhythm as he gained more experience with every game.

With a point guard like Chris Paul orchestrating the Spurs' offense, Wembanyama may explore better ways to impact the game on that end, bolstering his chances of recording a massive sophomore leap.