The Spurs’ arena plan has run into a fresh complication, and it now looks like San Antonio voters may get another say.
City council had already approved $489MM in municipal bond funding for the new arena, but the city is staring at a projected budget deficit over the next two years. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants residents to reauthorize the city’s share of the arena money this fall, and the clock is ticking: the deadline to get the question onto the November ballot is Monday, according to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss.
The San Antonio City Council is set to meet Monday morning and decide whether to put the funding issue on the ballot or stick with its earlier approval of municipal bond funding. Even if council does not add it to the ballot, the term sheet for the project says San Antonio residents still have to vote again on whether to issue city bonds for the first phase of construction.
Elsewhere in the Southwest Division, the Rockets are making a noticeable change to their home schedule. Houston night games will now start at 7:30 p.m. local time instead of 7 p.m. after fan feedback pushed the team to adjust, Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle reports. Last season, 28 of the Rockets’ 41 home games tipped at 7 p.m., and plenty of fans had trouble getting to their seats on time because of traffic.
Over in Memphis, ESPN’s Zach Kram handed the Grizzlies a B grade for their offseason work. He noted the frontcourt makeover, but said the bigger move was finally parting ways with Ja Morant. The return was modest - Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, with no draft picks included - but Kram pointed out that Morant’s value has dropped sharply and that the Grizzlies can now build around lottery pick Cameron Boozer, Cedric Coward and Zach Edey.
And in New Orleans, Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley is already trying to connect with fans away from the court while also working to lift the product on it, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com. Mosley was hired in May, shortly after the Magic fired him following their opening-round Eastern Conference playoff loss to Detroit.
In Other News...
Spurs Rookie Carter Bryant Faced A Brutal Early Test Behind The Scenes
Brian Wright used the 14th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Carter Bryant, and the Spurs did not ease their rookie in gently once practice began. Early on, Bryant had to deal with the kind of behind-the-scenes assignment that can expose a young player fast, as he learned the pace, physicality and details that come with defending established NBA talent in a Spurs gym.
The trial-by-fire helped Bryant settle in as the season went on, and his growth showed up when the games mattered most. By the playoffs, he had carved out a real role off the bench, giving San Antonio useful minutes and spacing while continuing to benefit from the lessons he picked up against teammates in practice. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Face One Big Question Behind Their Offseason Momentum
The Spurs spent the offseason adding more layers to a roster that already had promise, bringing in Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed through the draft, signing Tobias Harris and keeping Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes in the fold. On paper, it looks like the kind of steady summer that can help a young team build on momentum, especially with Victor Wembanyama already giving San Antonio a defensive backbone few teams can match.
The bigger question now sits on the sideline, where the staff looks different even as the roster grows deeper. Sean Sweeney, who played a major role in sharpening that defense, is gone after taking a head coaching job in Orlando, leaving Billy Donovan to sort out how much of last seasons identity can carry over without him. For a Spurs team trying to turn offseason progress into a real step forward, that coaching change may matter as much as any addition. [Read more 🡒]