Training camp is just around the corner, and the contrast between San Antonio and Houston has only gotten sharper with time.
The Spurs just finished a run that ended in the NBA Finals, and while they didn’t win it all, their playoff return gave San Antonio plenty to celebrate. Houston, meanwhile, is still stuck in a drought that keeps getting harder to ignore. The Rockets have not won a series since 2020, and only seven teams in the league have longer stretches without a postseason series victory: the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Wizards, Bulls, Magic, Kings and Hornets.
That backdrop makes Fred VanVleet’s old comments about the Spurs look even worse now.
“We were better than them the last two years. Have they had a playoff series?”
VanVleet said about the hype surrounding San Antonio. “Slow the **** down.”
Those words have not aged well. Houston’s first-round loss to the Lakers made the jab look even rougher, especially with Luka Doncic missing the entire series and Austin Reaves appearing in only two of the six games.
San Antonio, by contrast, backed up the buzz. In its first-ever playoff run as a group, the Spurs got through round one in five games, survived round two in six, and then knocked off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven, closing out the series on OKC’s home floor.
VanVleet had plenty of time to talk last season after an ACL and meniscus tear ended his year before it really began. And in an era where players are never shy about speaking their minds, maybe the comments were always coming one way or another.
That’s part of the fun.
In Other News...
Harrison Barnes Faces A New Spurs Reality He Can Still Shape
Harrison Barnes arrived in San Antonio on a one-year deal with a clear understanding of the assignment: bring experience, professionalism and a steadying voice to a young roster that is trying to grow up fast. The Spurs have several players competing for minutes, and the regular season is likely to be as much about development as it is about the nightly rotation, which makes Barnes a useful presence even if his role is no longer built around heavy usage.
What gives this pairing its intrigue is that Barnes can still shape the season without dominating it. His value now may come more from the way he helps younger teammates navigate the grind, sets the tone in the locker room and provides a model of how to handle a changing role, while the Spurs continue sorting out where everyone fits in a crowded pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonards Spurs Legacy Just Got Pulled Into A New Debate
Kawhi Leonards place in basketball history has never really been in doubt, especially in San Antonio, where his rise and title run helped define an era for the Spurs. Now, though, the conversation around his legacy has shifted from what he accomplished on the floor to how voters might view him when Hall of Fame ballots eventually come into play.
Eddie Johnson said Leonard should end up in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, but he expects the recent Clippers controversy to linger in the background for a while. The NBAs investigation found Leonards uncle had pushed the team for off-court income opportunities, leading to league discipline for the Clippers and several executives, while Leonard has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing through his agent. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyamas Rise Is Creating A Real Spurs Credit Problem
Victor Wembanyamas rise has changed the way the Spurs are viewed around the league, and not just because of what he does on the floor. His presence has made San Antonio a more appealing destination for other NBA players, while also giving teammates like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper a chance to operate in bigger roles and lean into the defensive backbone the team is building around him.
The tradeoff is the kind of problem winning teams usually welcome. Castle has been part of a defense that ranks among the leagues best, but Wembanyamas gravity can make it harder for the work around him to get the individual credit it deserves. For San Antonio, that is a sign of how far the group has come. For Castle, it leaves an open question about how much recognition can break through when the franchise centerpiece is already drawing so much attention. [Read more 🡒]