The San Antonio Spurs will play their first game of the California Summer League on Monday, but they won't have No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.
The French phenom reportedly will only play in the Las Vegas Summer League (July 7-17) this offseason.
It makes sense that the Spurs want to limit Wembanyam's summer minutes to avoid injury, but it costs us a chance at seeing an early matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. San Antonio takes on the Charlotte Hornets and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller on Monday night.
Miller will be making his debut.
Without Victor, the Spurs only have a few players that are signed or draft picks this summer, headlined by Sidy Cissoko and Malaki Branham. Meanwhile the Hornets have a loaded roster with Miller, Kai Jones, James Bouknight, Amari Bailey, Nick Smith and Bryce McGowens.
Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this Summer League contest:
Spurs vs. Hornets odds, spread and total
Spread:
- Spurs +3 (-110)
- Hornets -3 (-110)
Moneyline:
- Spurs: +125
- Hornets: -145
Total:
- 166.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
Odds are available via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spurs vs. Hornets prediction and pick
The Hornets have a ton of NBA talent playing in this game, and I think that makes them the bet to make.
All season long, if Victor isn't playing, the Spurs may be a team to fade, so why not employ that strategy as early as Summer League?
In all honesty, I respect San Antonio for being smart with its prized possession this offseason, but it means Branham and a lot of inexperienced players will have to carry the load.
We've seen crazier things happen in Summer League games, especially since we don't know how much time each player will get, but I'm willing to take a shot on a Hornets team that has signed or drafted nine of the players it has participating in this year's Summer League.
The Brandon Miller era gets off and running with a win on Monday.
Pick: Hornets -3 (-110)
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.