The LeBron James sweepstakes is getting tighter, but one big question hangs over the whole thing: how can the San Antonio Spurs not be in his top six?
That’s the tension after reports started trimming the field. Rich Paul told Forbes on Saturday, “I don’t think this happens anytime soon,” and that fits the slow-moving, heavily guarded nature of James’ decision. The 41-year-old is leaving the Lakers and looking for a new home where he can chase a fifth NBA title and maybe even a fifth NBA MVP award.
At this point, there are still 10 teams tied to the conversation: the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Spurs. Paul and his whiteboard from his “Game Over” podcast laid out that group, and San Antonio was right there in the mix.
Then Marc Stein added a wrinkle, saying the “10 list” has been cut down to “the six list.” He said, “The Sixers, the Timberwolves, the Heat, the Nuggets, based on everything I've been told all weekend, they all still believe they're in with a chance,” and added that the Cavaliers and Warriors are also in the mix.
That leaves the Spurs on the outside of the latest chatter, which is hard to square with what San Antonio has to offer. The team has the cap room, the need and Victor Wembanyama, a young star with real championship-level gravity. On paper, that looks like a natural fit for James.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN offered a different read, saying the teams chasing James are “in the dark” and have not heard from LeBron or his camp.''
So the picture is still murky, and that’s exactly why the Spurs situation feels so strange. If the latest buzz is right, San Antonio could end up as the team left waiting while the finalists narrow elsewhere.
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Spurs Missed On A Dream Target For One Frustrating Reason
The Spurs spent part of the offseason chasing a forward they believed could have fit neatly into their frontcourt plans, with Rui Hachimura drawing interest from San Antonio and several other teams before the market settled. Golden State, Minnesota and Brooklyn were also in the mix, a reminder that Hachimura had plenty of options as he weighed his next move.
San Antonio ultimately had to pivot after missing out, and the answer came in the form of veteran forward Tobias Harris, a steadier addition who helps address the same area of need. The Spurs would have liked to land Hachimura and keep building around a younger, more versatile look, but the search for frontcourt help did not end with one swing. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Send Tarris Reed Jr. A Tough Message Right Away
Tarris Reed Jr. already has a clear early-career assignment in San Antonio, and it has little to do with putting up points. The Spurs took Reed alongside Jayden Quaintance in the 2026 NBA Draft, bringing in the former UConn and Michigan big man with the expectation that his value will come from defense, rebounding and a physical presence around the basket.
In Summer League, coach Corliss Williamson made the message plain: Reeds lane is the gritty stuff, not a featured offensive role. For a Spurs roster that already has plenty of scoring to go around, the rookie will need to earn his way by doing the dirty work and showing he can hold up in the details, with a chance to push into the regular rotation if those traits translate once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Face A Lineup Decision That Could Disrupt Their Chemistry
The Spurs are staring at one of those early offseason choices that can quietly shape everything else, and it centers on the starting power forward spot. Tobias Harris brings the kind of veteran rsum that usually makes a coach think twice, while Julian Champagnie has already shown he can fit cleanly alongside the rest of San Antonios core.
Champagnies case is rooted in how well the Spurs looked with him in the first unit, where the group around De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama clicked at a high level. Harris still has value, especially as a scorer who could change the tone of a second unit, but the bigger question for San Antonio is whether it keeps the chemistry it found or makes room for experience at the expense of continuity. [Read more 🡒]