The LeBron James chatter around San Antonio isn’t going away, but the Spurs’ top decision-maker just gave a pretty clear read on how the organization is thinking this summer.
RC Buford said the Spurs are focused on the group they’ve already built, plus the additions they made in the draft and free agency. San Antonio had the flexibility to chase a bigger headline move, but instead chose two first-round picks and Tobias Harris, while the rest of the roster business centered on re-signings and extensions, including Victor Wembanyama.
“What I will say is that we’re excited about the team we’ve been able to keep together, and to add Tobias to that, plus our young draft picks," Spurs' CEO RC Buford told L'Équipe's Maxime Aubin. "I think our history shows how we build teams.”
That lines up with the way the Spurs usually operate. They are not known for swinging at the kind of blockbuster that would send the league buzzing, and even a one-year minimum deal for James would be a major departure from that pattern. The team also entered the offseason with a clear need at power forward, but settled on Harris rather than a player with James’ star power.
The fit is still easy to imagine on paper. James would not tie San Antonio down long term, which is part of why the rumors have lingered. A lineup with Castle, Wembanyama, James, De'Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell, backed by Harper, Harris, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Jayden Quaintance, Tarris Reed, and Harrison Barnes, would give the Spurs one of the strongest rotations in the league.
Still, the names Buford mentioned tell the story: the Spurs are emphasizing continuity, youth, and the roster they’ve already assembled. The LeBron noise may keep following them, but the team’s offseason choices point in a different direction.
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