Dominick Barlow and Sandro Mamukelashvili have quietly been excelling for the San Antonio Spurs.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is arguably the most well-known center in the NBA, but because of his minutes limitations and the overall attention given to his development, his backups have seen an increase in playing time.
Zach Collins was expected to spread the field offensively and contribute some physicality on defense when he inked an extension this summer. Before the All-Star Break, he had only attempted 15 three-pointers in his final eight games. He also had a mediocre defensive record, ranking 11th on the team in defensive box plus/minus and sixth in defensive win shares.
Although they have played limited parts, Dominick Barlow and Sandro Mamukelashvili, the young combination, have excelled while Collins has been a letdown.
In his second season with the Spurs, Barlow has become a reliable backup center by dominating the G-League. He easily exceeds the expectations established at the beginning of the season with his exceptional athleticism and good play on both ends of the court.
Despite his reluctance to shoot from beyond the arc, he has averaged 7.1 points and 5.5 rebounds on strong shooting nights in his nine games when he played more than fifteen minutes. Considering Collins’ difficulties, his further improvement could make him a legitimate rotation player at just 20 years old.
While Mamukelashvili hasn’t played much outside of garbage time, he has displayed offensive promise on occasion. Although his chances of becoming a good player are diminished at 24, he is a locker-room personality who might have a career like that of Boban Marjanović.
He did succeed in scoring 14 points and making a three-pointer on December 23 against the Dallas Mavericks. Even though he is not as skilled defensively as Barlow, he can shoot and has superior court vision, but the Spurs are hesitant to play him as much because of his much lower ceiling. Nevertheless, there are advantages to Mamukelashvili coming off the bench as confidence in Collins wanes.
Devin Vassell, a guard for the San Antonio Spurs, 24, interacts with Victor Wembanyama, a center, 1, during the second half of the Memphis Grizzlies game at FedEx Forum.
While neither Mamukelashvili nor Barlow will become household names, the Spurs will need to locate players who can provide some assistance if they are to produce a winning team in the future.
