San Antonio Spurs
Thankful for: Victor Wembanyama
If there was any mystery, that has ended. The San Antonio Spurs should be most thankful this season for the continued emergence of Victor Wembanyama. Even though the Spurs are still waiting for him to make another jump in his development, his mere presence on the roster has completely changed the outlook for the franchise. Wemby is going to have that huge superstar jump sooner rather than later and when that does happen, there's going to be little to stop the Spurs from being a perennial contender in the Western Conference.
After somewhat of a slow start to the season, Wemby has begun to shake off the rust from the offseason and has truly come on over the last couple of weeks. During the month of November, Wemby is averaging 26 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range. Interestingly enough, the Spurs are also a cool 8-8 to start the year. San Antonio is in a good place with Wemby leading the way.
Toronto Raptors
Thankful for: Believing in Gradey Dick
The Toronto Raptors have one of the most talented young cores in the league. They're fun and an interesting mix of players. While most of the attention revolves around Scottie Barnes, it's the play of Gradey Dick that has impressed the most so far this season for the Raptors. As he's embraced the role of a starter, Dick has made strides in his development as a scorer this season, averaging 18 points per game on 34 percent shooting from 3-point range. He looks like a keeper for the Raptors.
Make no mistake, despite the encouraging signs in his game so far this season, Dick still has some room to improve as an overall player. He's largely made his strides this season as an offensive scorer. He continues to leave much to be desired as a playmaker and as a defender. However, the hope is that he will improve in those aspects of his game next. Dick is still just 21 years old and just scratching the surface of the player he could be at his peak. There's a lot to like about how he's looked so far this season.