West Notes: Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, Lakers, LeBron James, Rockets

Spurs

Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama made his own Most Valuable Player case following a locker room conversation that began with teammate Keldon Johnson, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

As Weiss details, Wembanyama pointed primarily to his defensive impact, arguing that side of the ball remains undervalued in the MVP race — especially when compared to candidates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“My first (argument) would be that defense is 50 percent of the game and that is undervalued, so far, in the MVP race,” Wembanyama said. “I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league. Second argument would be that we almost swept OKC … My third argument would be that offense impact is not just points.”

Wembanyama added that his offensive value extends beyond scoring, citing the defensive attention he draws in pick-and-roll situations and noting data that places him alongside Nikola Jokic as one of the league’s most effective roll men.

“It’s going to happen (over) time,” he told Weiss. “If there were more players like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) in the past years, maybe defense would have been more recognized. I don’t know.”

The numbers support the argument, at least in part.

Wembanyama is averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks in 29.3 minutes per game across 56 appearances, though Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring output still leads the race in many eyes.

On/off splits tell another story. San Antonio owns a +16.6 net rating and 103.5 defensive rating with Wembanyama on the floor, compared to a -0.1 net rating and 113.7 defensive rating without him.

According to Weiss, some voters indicated they would consider Wembanyama for MVP if the Spurs (54-18) overtake the Thunder (57-15) for the league’s best record.

“I think right now, there is a debate,” Wembanyama said. “There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. And I’ll try to make sure that by the end of the season, there’s no debate.”

Lakers

The Lakers had their nine-game winning streak snapped Monday in Detroit, but LeBron James continues to thrive in a different role.

As Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, James has effectively become the NBA’s “best third option,” operating alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in a restructured offensive hierarchy.

That shift may have implications beyond this season.

There was a belief entering the fall that James might need to leave Los Angeles if he wanted to extend his career past 2025-26, with the Cavaliers and Warriors frequently mentioned as possible landing spots. However, the Lakers’ recent run has reshaped that outlook.

If the current version of the roster proves sustainable, there’s a growing case that James could remain in Los Angeles in this adjusted role.

Rockets

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka voiced frustration following Monday’s 132-124 loss in Chicago, a game that included his late fourth-quarter ejection, per Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle.

Udoka took issue with several officiating decisions, including a flagrant foul assessed to Amen Thompson and technical fouls issued to Thompson and Kevin Durant.

“Flagrant was soft as hell, that’s nothing. And the techs were soft, too,” Udoka said. “Not about to complain about a soft crew, so it is what it is.”

Still, his larger concern was Houston’s approach from the opening tip.

The Rockets surrendered 41 points in the first quarter and trailed by 20 early against a Bulls team that entered the night with one of the league’s lowest offensive ratings since the All-Star break.

“Poor start, disrespected the game. Not prepared from the get-go,” Udoka said. “Just not aggressive, following around, watching them shoot. … You look at the records, you look at who you’re playing against … and don’t come out prepared and let them be comfortable, gain confidence.”