Victor Wembanyama no longer has to carry a thin Spurs roster around him, and that might be the biggest shift in San Antonio’s favor. After three seasons, the organization has finally put together the kind of depth chart that can support a real run, and the changes this summer were subtle but meaningful.
The Spurs already had plenty going on in the backcourt with De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. But the bigger story is what happened up front. San Antonio reworked its front line, added Tobias Harris at power forward, and addressed the center group behind Wembanyama and Luke Kornet.
That matters because last season left the Spurs exposed whenever Wembanyama wasn’t on the floor. He missed 18 games, and the team didn’t have another playable big man beyond Kornet.
That kind of gap can wreck a rotation. Now, with Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance in the mix, the Spurs suddenly have more answers.
Reed Jr. looks ready to give them something right away, even as a rookie. He can handle spot minutes at center and provide cover when Wembanyama or Kornet needs a breather. Quaintance adds another layer to that frontcourt depth, giving San Antonio a roster that looks much sturdier than the one it rolled out a year ago.
Power forward, in particular, is no longer a weak spot. The Spurs can now lean on Julian Champagnie, Harris, Harrison Barnes, and Carter Bryant.
That’s a long, versatile group - all of them listed at least 6-foot-7 - and each can shoot it. For a team trying to keep the floor spaced around Wembanyama, that kind of size-and-shoot combination is a real asset.
Depth is only part of the equation, though. Internal growth could matter just as much.
Fox is entering his second full season in San Antonio, and there’s an expectation that Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper can make major jumps. If Fox gets back some of his quickness, the ripple effect could be huge: more scoring, more pressure on the defense, and cleaner looks for the shooters around him.
That would include Castle and Harper, both of whom have already shown progress as shooters. If those three guards all take a step forward, the Spurs’ offense gets more dangerous and Wembanyama gets more room to operate.
Even with all of that, the whole thing still starts and ends with Wembanyama’s health. But the difference now is what San Antonio can do when he sits or misses time. That’s where the improved depth could make the biggest impact, and why this version of the Spurs looks built to get the most out of their star.
In Other News...
Wembanyama Has One Concern Spurs Fans Cant Ignore Anymore
Victor Wembanyama spent most of his rise in San Antonio as the kind of star fans could center a franchise around without hesitation, but the tone around him shifted during the 2026 NBA Finals. The Spurs centerpiece was suddenly being viewed through a different lens after a series against the New York Knicks that changed the conversation far beyond the box score, especially as New York celebrated its first title in 53 years.
What makes the concern linger now is not just the fallout from that loss, but what it says about where Wembanyamas head is heading into the 2026-27 season. He remains the player the Spurs need to build around, yet his mindset and approach after such a public turn in sentiment are not fully clear, and for a fan base that has already invested so much in him, that uncertainty matters. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A Guard Logjam That Could Shape Their Next Few Years
Dylan Harpers first taste of Spurs basketball has only sharpened the conversation around a crowded backcourt. Jared Weiss of The Athletic noted that Harper looked good coming off the bench, but San Antonio already has a clear lead guard in DeAaron Fox, whose place in the starting lineup is secure after signing a four-year maximum extension last summer. That leaves the Spurs with a rotation that is suddenly deep, young and full of overlap at the guard spots.
For now, the bigger question is not whether Harper can help, but how the Spurs sort out their long-term guard core. Scouts around the league see Harper and Stephon Castle as key pieces of the franchises future, with both expected to be part of the organizations plans for the foreseeable future. The challenge for San Antonio is the kind most teams would welcome, though it still invites plenty of debate about who gets the ball, who develops fastest and how the roster eventually settles around its emerging talent. [Read more 🡒]
Keldon Johnson May Be Entering A Make-Or-Break Spurs Season
Keldon Johnson heads toward the new season in a more uncertain spot than he has occupied in years with the Spurs. After a summer in which San Antonio extended Julian Champagnie and brought in Tobias Harris, the roster has a different shape around him, and the minutes he has long counted on at power forward may not be as secure as they once were.
For Johnson, the early part of the season could tell the story. His place in the rotation, and perhaps his standing with the franchise, may hinge on how much he plays once games start to matter, especially if the Spurs keep exploring the trade market as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]