De’Aaron Fox isn’t sounding like a guard worried about fit. If anything, he’s leaning into it.
As the Spurs head toward the 2026-27 NBA season, the biggest issue in the backcourt is simple: there are more playable guards than clean minutes to go around. Fox remains an All-Star, even after a lackluster Finals performance, while Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper also deserve a real role. Harper, in particular, has made it clear he does not want to come off the bench, and the Spurs have stayed committed to Fox.
That leaves Mitch Johnson with a tricky rotation to manage. San Antonio experimented with three-guard lineups in limited minutes last season, but the results weren’t there - though the sample was small. Fox, though, sounds open to making it work.
“I think it progressed a lot,” said Fox of his chemistry with the youngsters.
“I think that was a big reason why we were able to get to where we did. Obviously, us being a talented group and continuing to learn to play together, I think that we had some success whenever the three of us were on the court.
And obviously it didn't happen a lot, especially throughout the regular season. But I definitely expect to see it more and for us to continue to grow in that aspect, just both offensively and defensively.”
That’s a useful stance for the Spurs, because Fox isn’t exactly a natural floor-spacer himself. Neither Harper nor Castle came into the league as a knockdown shooter, either. But both showed enough down the stretch last year to at least sit in league-average territory, and that changes the conversation.
If Harper and Castle can handle the ball without needing it, and Fox can keep bending defenses with his drives and kickouts, the three-guard setup starts looking far more realistic.
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Wembanyama Could Unlock A Spurs Frontcourt Teams Would Hate
The Spurs have quietly built some real size behind Victor Wembanyama, adding rookie centers Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. to a frontcourt that already includes Luke Kornet. For a team trying to keep pushing the envelope around Wembanyama, the appeal is obvious: more length, more rim protection, and more ways to make life miserable for opponents at the basket.
What makes Quaintance especially interesting is the idea of pairing him with Wembanyama as part of a long-term defensive plan, even if the fit is still more theory than proof. San Antonio has not seen the two rookies on the floor together yet, and the upside comes with real questions about spacing and how the offense would function, but the possibility of a front line built to swallow up drives is exactly the kind of wrinkle teams around the league would rather not see develop. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Make Their Jayden Quaintance Priorities Clear With Recovery Plan
Jayden Quaintances first stretch in San Antonio is being shaped less by the calendar than by caution. The rookie center is working back from a right ACL injury, and the Spurs continue to frame his rehab around patience and long-term development rather than any immediate need to get him on the floor. For a team that has openly valued his defensive upside, the message has been clear: there is no reason to force the process.
The timeline reflects that approach, with no return date announced and little expectation that he will be ready for the regular-season opener. Quaintance also underwent an additional meniscus clean-up procedure in July, another reminder that this recovery is still in the careful, early stages. For now, the Spurs appear willing to let the injury answer to its own pace, betting that a slower path is the right one for a player they see as part of their future. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Training Camp Battle Could Get Complicated Fast
Training camp is barely underway, but the Spurs already sound prepared for the kind of lineup debate that can follow a deep roster into October. Mitch Johnson has made it clear he wants to use the groups versatility rather than force a single look too early, a sensible approach for a team trying to sort out roles while keeping enough talent on the floor.
The challenge is that there are more legitimate starting candidates than available spots, with De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie, Tobias Harris, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama all pushing for heavy minutes and meaningful responsibility. Johnsons willingness to try different combinations should help San Antonio learn what works, but it also sets up a camp where every rotation decision will carry a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]