Victor Wembanyama won’t be suspended for Spurs-Timberwolves Game 5: Source

MINNEAPOLIS — San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama will not be further punished for elbowing Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid in the neck during Game 4 of their second-round series, a league source told The Athletic.

Officials ejected Wembanyama in the second quarter of the Spurs’ 114-109 Game 4 loss Sunday after devoting a lengthy review to the play and assessed him with a Flagrant 2. He will not be suspended for Game 5 on Tuesday and will not receive an additional fine.

“I don’t know the legality or the rules, but there was zero intent,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Sunday when asked about the possibility of Wembanyama being suspended for Game 5. “They did what they did because of the outcome of the play — so be it. But to have anything on top of that would be ridiculous.”

Wembanyama, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year this season, was coming off one of the best performances of his career in Game 3 before his Game 4 ejection. After grabbing a rebound over Reid, Wembanyama was trapped by Reid and Jaden McDaniels, who held onto Wembanyama’s off arm. The Spurs center then looked to his right, appearing to see Reid, and swung a high elbow that landed squarely on Reid’s neck and sent the Wolves big tumbling to the hardwood.

With Wembanyama out, the Spurs led for much of the second half before the Timberwolves rallied in the fourth quarter behind Anthony Edwards’ 36 points.

“I’m glad (Wembanyama) took matters into his own hands,” Johnson said Sunday. “Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid, by all means (I’m) being very clear about that. I’m glad Naz Reid is OK, and I didn’t want him to elbow him. But he’s going to have to protect himself if they’re not. And I think it’s disgusting.”

ESPN was first to report that Wembanyama would not face further disciplinary action.