Free agency is coming, and the Spurs don’t need to swing at the biggest names to make a real difference. The smarter play might be to shop in the bargain aisle - the kind of move that doesn’t force a roster overhaul, doesn’t require a giant trade, and still gives San Antonio a little more punch where it matters.
There are a few options out there who fit that mold.
Jordan Clarkson is the first name that jumps out. His 2025-26 line reads 9 PPG, 45% FG, 33% 3PT, 72 games, and Spurs fans already know exactly what kind of damage he can do.
He’s from the San Antonio area, and he’s also spent years seeming to light up this team whenever he gets the chance. Maybe Brian Wright could convince him to turn that into a homecoming.
For Mitch Johnson, Clarkson would be a bench scorer who can change the temperature of a game fast.
Matisse Thybulle brings a different kind of value. His 2025-26 stats: 6 PPG, 2 RPG, 43% FG, 40% 3PT, 30 games.
The injury history is real, but the Spurs wouldn’t need him to carry a heavy load. This is about defensive insurance, not a nightly workload.
If he can get healthy enough to give San Antonio 10-15 minutes when needed, that’s enough. With a deep wing rotation already in place, the risk is easier to stomach.
And with Victor Wembanyama behind him, Thybulle’s knack for creating extra possessions could become even more useful.
Robert Williams III might be the cleanest frontcourt answer on the list. His 2025-26 numbers: 7 PPG, 7 RPG, 2 BPG, 71% FG, 59 games.
He also has maybe the coolest nickname in the NBA, possibly in sports: Time Lord. Basketball-wise, he’d give the Spurs a proven backup big and some cushion for the frontcourt if health gets tricky.
Right now, San Antonio’s true centers are Wemby, Luke Kornet, Tarris Reed Jr., and Jayden Quaintance, but Jayden may not be ready to go this calendar year. If that happens, one injury could put the Spurs right back into the same shortage they dealt with last season.
Williams would help prevent that.
Then there’s Sandro Mamukelashvili, who is the most emotional swing of the group. His 2025-26 stats: 11 PPG, 5 RPG, 2 APG, 52% FG, 39%, 80 games.
The biggest selling point here is simple: vibes. Mamu left because he didn’t get enough minutes, and he probably wouldn’t be guaranteed a huge role if he returned.
But he was a huge presence in the locker room, and the fans loved him. He just opted out of his contract with Toronto, and the market is expected to be reasonable, so this would be a long shot.
Still, the fit has real appeal. He’s not the best defender, but San Antonio has already strengthened that side of the floor in enough other places to cover for him.
He can still pass, he can still score efficiently, and he’d be walking back into a team that has a clear hierarchy and a real chance to win a championship.
Of the four, the other three make the cleaner basketball case. But locker-room fit matters too, and the Spurs know it.
There’s a reason they keep bringing back Bismack Biyombo even though he doesn’t really play. Any one of these players could give San Antonio a little extra edge next June, and none of them would cost the Spurs much to get there.
In Other News...
Spurs Linked To Veteran Frontcourt Move That Would Change Everything Around Wemby
The Spurs are still looking for ways to strengthen the roster around Victor Wembanyama, and one name that keeps surfacing in league chatter is John Collins. San Antonios cap flexibility gives it room to explore a move like that, and the idea is obvious enough on paper: add another frontcourt piece who can ease some of the burden on Wembanyama while the franchise keeps building toward a more complete lineup.
Chicago is also regularly mentioned as a team in the mix, which only adds to the sense that this could become one of the more watched veteran frontcourt situations of the offseason. The fit question is the real sticking point for San Antonio, though, because Collins shooting has been inconsistent and his rim protection has not always matched the demands of pairing with a big like Wembanyama. [Read more 🡒]
Keldon Johnson Suddenly Finds Himself At The Center Of A Spurs Decision
Keldon Johnsons place in San Antonio has become one of the more interesting personnel questions of the summer. After winning Sixth Man of the Year, he is still heading into the final year of his contract, and the Spurs now have to decide whether they want to commit to him long term once the moratorium ends on July 6. For a player who has been part of the teams core through a transitional stretch, the timing makes this more than a routine extension talk.
The issue is not just about reward, either. Johnsons game has been uneven enough that the Spurs have real reason to weigh their options, and his future says a lot about where they think the roster is headed. If the front office decides to move cautiously, it would fit with a team trying to balance development, lineup fit, and a few new pieces that could change how much room Johnson has in the frontcourt rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonard Rumor Just Pulled The Spurs Back Into Focus
A Kawhi Leonard ripple can still pull the Spurs back into the conversation, even years after he left. Leonards name is once again tied to San Antonio in a way that matters, because any hint about where he would be willing to go next inevitably reopens old questions about what the Spurs mean in the leagues larger star map. For a franchise that has spent the past several seasons building forward, that kind of unexpected relevance is hard to ignore.
The bigger picture is what makes this feel worth watching. Toronto and the Clippers have been in real discussions about a possible Leonard move, and the deal mechanics are messy enough to shape the rest of the market around it, from the salary being sent out to the picks and young players both sides might have to weigh. Add in the Clippers youth movement and the cloud hanging over their cap situation, and the Spurs suddenly find themselves adjacent to a storyline that could still take another turn before it settles. [Read more 🡒]