The Spurs never chased the shiny shortcut, and that decision looks smarter by the day.
San Antonio passed on the kind of blockbuster move that would have put Victor Wembanyama beside a proven veteran star right away. Instead, the front office stayed patient, and the rest of the league still hasn’t really caught up. The Spurs have the best player in the league, and they’ve shown they can keep adding high-end talent around him without blowing up their long-term plan.
That patience has mattered because the rumor mill never really left them alone. The idea around the league was that Wembanyama’s timeline was moving faster than the rest of the young core, and that he wanted the Spurs to bring in win-now help.
San Antonio did add De’Aaron Fox in 2026, but it was also tied to Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and other established veterans. The big swing never came.
Durant, in particular, was one of the names that kept circling. Last summer, the Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves were viewed as the finalists to land him from the Phoenix Suns. A lineup with Fox, Durant, Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle would have been a monster on paper, and it would have pushed San Antonio’s competitive window forward fast.
But Durant’s value has taken a hit. He was still producing last season, averaging 26 points and earning All-NBA Second Team honors.
Off the court, though, the picture was messier. He clashed with teammates, took shots on burner social media accounts, and came off as difficult to deal with.
Add in his age and contract, and the market has cooled. As Heavy’s Sean Deveney wrote, "There does not seem to be a market for Durant, who is 37 and has $90 million over two years on his contract," wrote Heavy's Sean Deveney. "It’s a longshot."
If the Spurs had made that deal, Durant might have never spent the All-Star Break firing off Twitter tirades. They didn’t, and he did.
Through Wembanyama’s early years, San Antonio has made its priorities clear: long-term success comes first. Back when he was sharing the floor with Zach Collins and point-Jeremy Sochan, a player like Durant probably looked awfully appealing. Now, after making the Finals with a young, raw group, Wembanyama has every reason to appreciate the path Brian Wright chose - and the moves he didn’t make.
In Other News...
Victor Wembanyama Just Made A Franchise Shaping Choice For Spurs
Victor Wembanyamas next chapter with the Spurs is now locked in, and the timing only sharpens the significance of it. After the NBA Finals, the young star settled on a deal that keeps him in San Antonio for the long haul, a move that says as much about his view of the franchise as it does about his place in it.
For a team trying to build around a generational centerpiece, the choice matters beyond the headline number. It puts the Spurs in a better position to shape the roster around him, and it fits a growing pattern around the league of stars valuing structure and winning paths over squeezing out every last dollar. Jalen Brunson made a similar kind of statement before, and Wembanyamas decision now gives San Antonio a clearer runway for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Fans Will Love Carter Bryants Refreshingly Honest Answer
Carter Bryants second season with the Spurs is already getting off to a different kind of start, with the young wing showing up at an NBA Cares appearance and offering a refreshingly simple answer when asked what brings him joy. After a rookie year that kept him busy from the regular season through the playoff run, Bryant sounded like a player who has already settled into the rhythm of life in the league, even if his off-court happiness comes from something as ordinary as a trip to the barber.
For Spurs fans, there is plenty to like about the bigger picture, too. Bryant logged 71 regular-season games, took part in All-Star Weekend events and picked up postseason experience during San Antonios run to the NBA Finals, all while building momentum for what comes next. The haircut answer may have been lighthearted, but it also fit the tone of a player who seems comfortable enough to keep things simple while the expectations around him keep growing. [Read more 🡒]
SGA And Jalen Williams Just Earned More League-Wide Respect
Dylan Harper has only just begun his NBA journey, but the rookie already knows which matchups can make a game feel a lot bigger than the box score. After the Spurs Finals run with a young roster, Harper singled out the Thunders backcourt and wing talent as the toughest defensive assignment he ran into, a telling bit of praise for a team that has become one of the leagues standard-bearers.
For San Antonio, it is another reminder of how steep the climb is in the West and how much those Oklahoma City meetings now matter for a group trying to grow together. Harper is expected to keep seeing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams for years, and if his first impressions are any indication, those matchups will keep testing the Spurs in ways that should only sharpen them. [Read more 🡒]