​Ever since the San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama first overall in 2023, two things have been true.First, the rest of the NBA is trying to catch up with them. So far, it hasn’t really worked. Not only do the Spurs boast the best player in the league, but the front office has proven more than capable of adding elite talent around him.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSecond, the Spurs have been included in rumor after rumor. The prevailing belief is that Wembanyama’s timeline is so far ahead of the rest of the young core that he wanted the Spurs to add win-now players to the roster.While the Spurs added De’Aaron Fox in 2026, they were also linked to the likes of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and other proven, veteran players. Instead, San Antonio stayed the course.READ MORE: NBA Players Not Happy With Victor Wembanyama’s New ContractREAD MORE: Carter Bryant Hints at Role With Spurs Next SeasonREAD MORE: The Moment Victor Wembanyama Decided to Pass Up $50 MillionAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLast summer, the Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves seemed to be finalists to land Durant from the Phoenix Suns. A starting lineup of Fox, Durant, Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle would have been one of the best in the NBA, although the Spurs’ competitive timeline would have been moved way up.Last season, on the floor at least, Durant was elite, averaging 26 points and making the All-NBA Second Team. Off the floor, he butted heads with his teammates, talked trash on burner social media accounts, and seemed generally unpleasant to be around.Combine that with his contract and advancing age, and even if the Rockets wanted to shed him, they couldn’t.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”There does not seem to be a market for Durant, who is 37 and has $90 million over two years on his contract,” wrote Heavy’s Sean Deveney. “It’s a longshot.”Now, had the Spurs traded for him, he may not have gone on Twitter tirades over the All-Star Break, but they didn’t, and he did.Throughout Wembanyama’s short career, the Spurs have made it very clear that they prioritize long-term success over short-term accomplishments. When Wembanyama was sharing the floor with Zach Collins and point-Jeremy Sochan, he probably wished for an all-time great like Durant to share the floor with.Now that he’s made the Finals with a very raw and young team, he’s probably thrilled by the moves Brian Wright did–and didn’t–make.