Aday Mara has already put the Spurs in a spot where they may have to think big against Oklahoma City.
Through four preseason games, the 7-foot-3 Michigan alum has been one of the Thunder’s most eye-catching performers. He’s averaging 15 points a night on 81% shooting from the field, hasn’t shown much from beyond the arc, and has still found plenty of ways to pile up value at the line, where he’s gone 19-for-22 for 85%. The production doesn’t stop there, either: Mara has added 29 rebounds and 11 blocks in those four games.
So the real question isn’t whether he’s been productive. It’s whether he can do that against an NBA front line that can actually punish his limitations.
For San Antonio, that creates a clean choice. The Spurs can try to go small and test Mara’s foot speed, basically daring Oklahoma City to live with the tradeoff. Or they can answer with size and make it a mirror match.
The smaller look would put the burden on Mara to survive against movement, spacing, and constant pressure. That’s where the Spurs can try to make him work.
But that plan comes with its own headache, because it’s not as if Mara has to defend ordinary movement. He’s never had to deal with Victor Wembanyama before, and he’s never had to try to stop Stephon Castle coming downhill at him with bad intentions.
That’s why San Antonio will probably start by handling it its own way: one big, a group of guards, and wings that aren’t especially oversized. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe the Spurs can force the matchup they want before Oklahoma City settles in.
If not, Mitch Johnson has another route. Luke Kornet, the Western Conference Finals Game 7 hero, is there as a bigger-body option, and Tarris Reed Jr. could also enter the picture. If Oklahoma City’s size is winning the chess match, San Antonio can counter with its own length and muscle.
That ability to go massive is part of the reason Reed and Jayden Quaintance matter so much to this roster. Quaintance won’t be ready for at least a few more months, but once he’s healthy, the Spurs should have the kind of bulk that makes opponents miserable. Size won’t be the issue.
None of this means Mara has already proven he can carry this level of production into the full 82-game grind. But he’s done enough in the preseason to make opening night worth watching. San Antonio and Oklahoma City meet on October 20, and that should give everyone an early read on whether the Spurs need to lean into small-ball or start reaching for the big lineup options.
In Other News...
Spurs Camp Cuts Put New Focus On A Roster Battle To Watch
The Spurs trimmed their camp roster ahead of the 2026/27 season by waiving Taelon Peter, Malik Williams and Terry Taylor, part of the usual late-preseason sorting that comes with training camp competition. It is the kind of move that rarely grabs headlines on its own, but it does sharpen the focus on who is still standing as the Spurs continue to shape the back end of the roster.
Around the league, several other teams were making similar decisions, with the Hawks signing Giorgi Bezhanishvili to an Exhibit 10 deal, the Jazz adding Chance Moore and the Cavaliers waiving Jaxson Robinson. Cole Swider, DeAndre Williams and Steven Crowl were also let go by the Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets, respectively, underscoring how active this stretch can be as teams settle on their final looks before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs May Be Seeing An Early Answer Behind Victor Wembanyama
The Spurs have spent the preseason looking for the kind of sturdy interior presence that can take some of the burden off Victor Wembanyama, and rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. has given them a promising early look. Reed has stood out for his work on the glass and around the rim, including a 17-rebound game against Utah and another strong showing against Phoenix, where he finished with three blocks and nine rebounds.
For a young big trying to earn trust in a crowded rotation, that sort of consistency matters as much as the headline numbers. Reed said he plans to keep bringing effort and persistence, and San Antonio will be watching to see whether that carries into a steady role as the season gets closer. The Spurs could use a reliable backup behind Wembanyama, and Reed has at least made that conversation worth having. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Already Have One Big Concern With This Wembanyama Experiment
The Spurs spent a preseason look against Phoenixs backups trying something ambitious, dropping DeAaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama into a guard-heavy lineup that was always going to be watched closely. It was the first time that group had played together, according to coach Mitch Johnson, and even in a small sample it hinted at both sides of the equation San Antonio is trying to balance: enough ballhandling and perimeter talent to pressure defenses, plus the kind of size and activity Wembanyama brings to everything around him.
What showed up quickly, though, was the downside. The group flashed defensive promise, but the spacing and shooting issues were apparent early, leaving the Spurs with a familiar preseason question as they keep sorting through rotations before the games start to count. The idea is intriguing enough to keep revisiting, but the early returns suggest there is still plenty to iron out before this kind of look can be counted on in regular-season minutes. [Read more 🡒]