The Spurs built this roster to keep rolling, even if Victor Wembanyama ever has to miss time.
That’s the real takeaway from San Antonio’s depth chart heading into the 2026-27 campaign. The additions of Tobias Harris, Jayden Quaintance and others give the Spurs enough layers to absorb a hit and stay competitive, rather than spiral if their franchise centerpiece is sidelined.
Yahoo Sports NBA senior analyst Kevin O'Connor put it plainly: "I just don't see this team as having much chaos potential," Yahoo Sports NBA senior analyst Kevin O'Connor states. "I think even if Wemby misses some time, there's enough good talent on this team for them to remain highly, highly competitive, just like they were last year when Wemby wasn't on the floor."
Last season backed that up. San Antonio went 12-6 and scored 120.7 points per game without Wemby, a strong enough run to show this team can survive stretches without him. Now the Spurs are even deeper, with more answers at every spot on the floor.
The biggest challenge, of course, would be on defense. Wembanyama isn’t just important there - he’s the engine. He led the league in blocks every season of his career and became the NBA’s first unanimous DPOY winner.
When he wasn’t available last season, the Spurs still managed to stay above water, but the defense clearly lost its edge. Opponents topped 120 points several times, and the paint became a problem area. That part of the game is never going to be the same without him.
Still, San Antonio has more ways to patch things up now. Luke Kornet isn’t the only backup center option. Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. can also help protect the rim and make life harder for drivers and opposing bigs.
Mitch Johnson can also get creative with Carter Bryant at small-ball center. That look showed up at times in the playoffs, including the Spurs’ Game 3 win in the first round against the Trail Blazers, when they held Portland to 108 points. It’s not a perfect substitute for Wembanyama, but it gives San Antonio another tool.
The same goes for the offense. Wemby’s scoring punch matters - he averaged a career-high 25 points per game last season, and his presence bends defenses in ways few players can. But the Spurs aren’t short on players who can create.
Their backcourt gives them multiple guards who can attack the rim and generate clean looks for everyone else. Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper can get downhill and force defenses to react. Tobias Harris adds another steady scoring option who can make plays on his own.
No one on this roster can truly replace Wembanyama’s gravity or his above-the-rim finishing. But that’s not the point.
The point is that San Antonio spent on depth, and it shows. If Wembanyama sits for a stretch, the Spurs have enough talent to keep the machine running.
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Stephon Castle Could Force A Costly Spurs Decision Fast
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If Castle breaks through at the level San Antonio hopes, the Spurs could be staring at a fast-moving decision with a rival team trying to set the market. The framework matters here, because the Clippers would be limited in what they can put on the table while the Spurs would still have the right to match, and potentially go beyond that. For a team trying to build carefully around young talent, that kind of leverage is valuable, but it also means one big season could bring an early and costly test. [Read more 🡒]