The Spurs’ rotation is still shifting, and Carter Bryant has already felt the squeeze.
Mitch Johnson’s choice to lean on Harrison Barnes instead of Bryant is a notable one, even if it doesn’t come out of nowhere. Johnson has shown plenty of trust in Bryant before, giving him steady minutes last season even when the results weren’t there. But Bryant just picked up his first DNP of the year, while Barnes has worked his way back into the mix.
The logic is pretty clear: Johnson likes spacing, and Barnes may be the team’s best shooter. That matters on a Spurs team that has had trouble from deep, ranking 17th in 3-point percentage through its first 10 games. Barnes gives them a cleaner offensive fit right now, even if Bryant offers a different kind of upside as a three-and-D wing.
Barnes’ return to the rotation is a twist in itself. He wasn’t expected back this season, but San Antonio brought him in on a one-year deal, and he has already carved out a role again.
In 13.7 minutes per game, he’s putting up 5.7 points while shooting 37.0% from three on 3.0 attempts a night. That’s not starter-level production anymore, but it’s enough to matter for a bench that needs shot-making.
That said, this isn’t a move without consequences. Barnes can help solve a short-term problem, but Bryant’s development is part of the bigger picture. Sitting him can slow that process, and the Spurs can’t really afford to lose momentum there if they want him to become the kind of wing defender they need.
The forward rotation is crowded, too. With Devin Vassell starting at the four, the bench has become a traffic jam of Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Barnes, Bryant, and Tobias Harris once he makes his Spurs debut. Something has to give, and Bryant is the obvious player affected.
He should still get chances, but the days of assuming he’ll play every night are gone for now. Johnson’s decision to turn back to Barnes makes sense as a practical move, especially with Barnes offering reliable shooting. Even so, the Spurs still need Bryant to take a real step forward this season.
In Other News...
Wembanyama Just Gave Spurs Fans Another Unreal Moment To Debate
Victor Wembanyama keeps finding new ways to make the ordinary look absurd, and his latest highlight came in the third quarter against the Bulls. The Spurs big man launched into a two-hand dunk from the free-throw line, the kind of play that instantly turns a regular night into another entry in the growing Wembanyama highlight reel.
It also came in the middle of a game where he was already stuffing the stat sheet, with San Antonio ahead in the fourth quarter and Wembanyama sitting on 32 points, eight rebounds, two steals and four blocks. Given the way he has been playing all season, with elite production on both ends and a shooting touch to match, the only real debate left is how many more moments like this he can still create before the league runs out of ways to react. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A DeAaron Fox Problem They Cant Ignore
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Fox is averaging 13.9 points per game this season, a steep drop from the level he showed when the Spurs acquired him. The bigger concern is not just the number itself, but the way it has come about: he looks less aggressive hunting his own shot, and that shift has put his offensive role under the microscope while also raising questions about how the league will view his trade value if this version of him sticks around. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Hot Start Still Leaves One Big Tobias Harris Question
Nine straight wins have given the Spurs plenty to like early, but the one major piece they have not yet been able to factor in is Tobias Harris. His absence has left San Antonio to keep sorting through a rotation that is already working, even as the veteran forwards expected return looms as a potential boost in size and shooting.
Harris is the kind of addition that can change the shape of a lineup without forcing the Spurs to tear up what has gotten them off to such a strong start. The open question is where he fits once he is available, since his role could be determined by the coachs decisions and could land anywhere from the starting five to a more defined bench role. [Read more 🡒]