When Victor Wembanyama arrived in San Antonio as the 2023 draft prize, the expectation was never really about if the Spurs would rise. It was about when. That timeline got accelerated fast.
The Spurs ripped off a 62-win season, knocked off defending champion Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals, and came painfully close to the title. The one thing that kept them from finishing the job was clear in the Finals: they couldn’t close games, and their lack of experience and playable depth showed up at the worst possible moment.
That’s exactly what San Antonio went after this summer.
The front office attacked the roster in two places that mattered most. In the draft, the Spurs added Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. to strengthen the frontcourt behind Wembanyama.
Quaintance is expected to be limited this season because of a knee injury, but Reed Jr. looks ready to handle backup big duties right away. His strength and nonstop motor in the paint should help San Antonio survive the minutes when Wembanyama sits.
They also added Maliq Brown, an elite college defender who is on a two-way contract. Even with that designation, his defensive impact could push him to the NBA roster sooner than expected.
Then came the veteran layer. San Antonio signed Tobias Harris to a short-term deal, giving the team another scoring option who can play both the three and the four and stretch the floor. He could start at power forward or come off the bench, and either way he gives Mitch Johnson another dependable piece to work with alongside Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie.
And the Spurs still have the young core that makes the whole thing dangerous. Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant are all part of the picture, with Castle and Harper flashing real chemistry last season.
They looked lethal together, and they already profile as the backcourt of the future. Bryant still needs development, but he is one strong offseason away from becoming a rotation player.
Harper, in particular, is a name to watch for another leap.
San Antonio didn’t just patch holes. It deepened a roster that already looked close. The Spurs are built to be a problem again next season, and after getting that playoff education a year ago, they look ready to come back with more force.
In Other News...
Shaq Just Put The Spurs In A Different Conversation
Shaquille ONeal has a way of turning a conversation about the Spurs into something bigger, and he did it again at Fanatics Fest. ONeal voiced real confidence in Victor Wembanyama and San Antonios direction, framing the young star as the kind of rare, versatile big man who can lift a franchise back into championship territory.
The more interesting part is where ONeal sees the path getting difficult. He pointed to the Oklahoma City Thunder as the Spurs most likely hurdle in the Western Conference, but still sounded convinced San Antonio can get through it if Wembanyama keeps taking over games. For a team still building around its centerpiece, that kind of belief from a Hall of Fame center says plenty about how far the Spurs have already come in the leagues eyes. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Believe Wembanyama May Be One Change From Offensive Takeoff
San Antonios offense has spent plenty of time looking for easier answers than the ones that come from the perimeter, and the middle of the floor may be where the next step starts. The Spurs added Tobias Harris, whose comfort in the mid-range gives them another veteran option in the spots where defenses have to make quick decisions, and that fits neatly with a broader push to make the offense less predictable.
Victor Wembanyama is the real swing piece, though, because the Spurs believe his path to a bigger leap could come from developing in the same areas. If he can become a threat from the free-throw line and the elbows, it changes the geometry of everything around him and gives San Antonio a more versatile way to attack. The idea is simple enough, even if the payoff still has to be earned on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Rookie Dylan Harper Is Already Becoming A Huge Collector Name
Dylan Harpers rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs has already pushed him into a different kind of spotlight, one that follows players off the court and into the hobby. The first-round buzz around his cards has been building quickly, and that momentum will be on display Friday when Harper makes his first appearance at the National Sports Collectors Convention, joining an eBay Live break with seller Blez.
Harper is not the only name from the family showing up in Chicago. Ron Harper Sr. is set for a Saturday eBay Live stream tied to Michael Jordan collectibles, adding another layer to a weekend that already has plenty of collector intrigue around the Spurs rookie. For a player whose cards have become a hot item so early, the convention is the latest reminder that his market is moving almost as fast as his basketball profile. [Read more 🡒]