Victor Wembanyama's sophomore NBA campaign was cut short by right shoulder deep vein thrombosis. Only days removed from his first-ever All-Star Game, the phenom is now out for an extended amount of time.

Though the Spurs are still optimistic about his long-term prospects, Wembanyama's loss takes a heavy toll on the team and league.

What Happened to Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama is Out For Season With Deep Vein Thrombosis Victor Wembanyama is Out For Season With Deep Vein Thrombosis
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As BBC reports, the 21-year-old center was diagnosed to have a deep vein thrombosis on his right shoulder. This happens when a blood clot is formed. Given this serious diagnosis, he's now out for the remainder of the season.

No More Post-Season Awards For Wemby

Since Wembanyama played 65 games this season, he is now out of the running for several end-of-season awards. The French giant was a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and a serious contender for All-NBA and All-Defensive Team votes. His exit from these competitions leaves the way open for other players to benefit from contract incentives based on these awards.

One of the big winners would be Evan Mobley. The Cleveland Cavaliers forward, who signed a max rookie extension with Rose Rule escalators, stands to have his contract worth more money if he makes an All-NBA team or wins Defensive Player of the Year.

The same is true for Jaren Jackson Jr., Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and Trae Young, who all share the same incentives on their contracts.

Spurs' Playoff Chances Dissipate

With De'Aaron Fox on the court, San Antonio's playoff chances suffer significantly without Wembanyama. The team is currently 3.5 games behind the No. 10 seed in the West, and their play has significantly dipped whenever Wembanyama is not on the court. And with no veteran backup center, their hopes of making a push at the end of the season are further diminished.

Zach Collins was part of the Fox trade, so Charles Bassey and Sandro Mamukelashvili remain the inside options at center. Jeremy Sochan has played in some small-ball lineups from time to time, but none of these bigs can match Wembanyama's one-of-a-kind two-way contribution. Because of that, the Spurs will more than likely move their attention toward the NBA Draft lottery instead of vying for a play-in berth.

These could be the possible replacement for the French man, according to USA Today.

Spurs Might Bank on Lottery

Wembanyama's injury greatly improves San Antonio's chances of getting another top draft pick. If the season were to end today, the Spurs would have the 10th-best lottery chances, CBS Sports reports. With the Trail Blazers also having as many wins as they do, the team may get a better position based on the remainder of the season.

San Antonio also possesses Atlanta's unprotected first-round pick, which would bring two lottery picks in June. This turn of events gives the Spurs another building block to surround their young stars with, improving their long-term prospects.

The Fox trade indicated a move toward short-term contention, but Wembanyama's injury may have unintentionally pushed that back another year.

Spurs' Offseason Plans May Change

The injury also complicates the Spurs' offseason strategy. The team acquired De'Aaron Fox to pair with Wembanyama, but they have only had five games together to assess their chemistry. The limited sample size means the front office may need to delay major roster decisions until next season.

As an example, Fox, Stephon Castle, and Jeremy Sochan's fit cannot be ascertained because of the combined shooting weakness of the three.

Wembanyama's potential to space the floor at the center could alleviate this weakness somewhat, but in the absence of an adequate evaluation period, the Spurs will likely play it safe and roll out their existing core for one more season before shaking things up drastically.