The San Antonio Spurs didn’t just win 62 games last season. They took over the Western Conference, knocked off the OKC Thunder, and powered their way through the playoffs to reach their first Finals since 2014.
That kind of year would usually be the peak. For San Antonio, it looks more like the opening act.
Around the league, the belief is that the Spurs are only moving up from here. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper form what many view as the league’s best young trio, and all three are still on rookie contracts. Layer in an already strong supporting cast, and the picture gets even brighter.
The biggest reason for the optimism is simple: there isn’t much wrong with this roster. In fact, the Spurs may have improved it. They brought in Tobias Harris in free agency and didn’t lose a single rotational player.
“Where are the Spurs’ weaknesses?” asked SI's Chris Mannix.
"They have the NBA’s best player, arguably its best guard trio, and added everyone’s favorite veteran, Tobias Harris, to boost the frontcourt and locker room. Even in a loaded conference, it would be unsurprising to see a healthy San Antonio team flirt with 70 wins."
That kind of ceiling is what makes this team so dangerous. San Antonio already reached 62 wins in 2016, which still stands as the franchise record, and now the expectation is that this group can push beyond last season’s mark.
Wembanyama is a huge part of that. Even after a monster season, the sense is that he’s still climbing. He spent the summer working on strength and conditioning, which only adds to the intrigue around what comes next.
The young core is trending the right way, too. Harper and Castle both improved as shooters late in the season, and the Spurs have veterans who keep the machine running: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, De'Aaron Fox, Luke Kornet, and Julian Champagnie.
There’s also the draft haul, which gives San Antonio more high-value talent to work with. Add all of that together with Harris, and it’s easy to see why the conversation around the Spurs has shifted from “good” to “how much better can they get?”
"San Antonio will be exceptionally motivated to avenge its painful Finals loss, and leaps can be reasonably expected from the various young contributors who made last year’s deep run possible-even from Victor Wembanyama, who is already a top-three player in the league," added Liam McKeone.
Last season may have looked like the start of something special. This season could be even louder.
In Other News...
Spurs Face A Keldon Johnson Decision That Could Split Fans
Keldon Johnsons place in the Spurs rotation has already started to look different as the roster has gotten deeper, and that shift comes with a bigger question hanging over the season. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is entering the year without a contract extension, and his role is expected to shrink as San Antonio sorts out its wing minutes and future plans.
The wrinkle is whether the Spurs treat Johnson as part of their current mix or as a movable piece if they decide to chase help in a win-now deal. Carter Bryants climb could change the equation quickly, especially if it pushes Johnson further down the depth chart, and that leaves San Antonio weighing a veteran contributor now against the risk of watching him walk later. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Face A De'Aaron Fox Decision That Can Wait For Now
With De'Aaron Fox now on a big contract and the Spurs' backcourt suddenly looking crowded, San Antonio has landed in the kind of roster conversation that usually follows a team with serious aspirations. The franchise is coming off an NBA Finals appearance, and that kind of success only sharpens the focus on how the next era will be financed, especially once more of the core starts getting more expensive. For now, though, the bigger picture is less about forcing a bold move and more about sorting out what the Spurs actually have in front of them.
There is no shortage of outside ideas when a team has talent and salary pressure, and one recent proposal only underscored how quickly the discussion can turn speculative. But the Spurs do not need to rush into anything before they have a clearer read on their own guard rotation, because this is the sort of decision that can look very different once the players are all on the floor together. For a team with real upside, patience can be part of the plan, not a sign of indecision. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Is About To Face A Spurs Test Fans Crave
Victor Wembanyamas next chance to measure his progress against one of the leagues most imposing forces is already on the calendar, and it comes with the kind of intrigue Spurs fans circle as soon as the schedule drops. Giannis Antetokounmpo has long been the sort of opponent who can expose every soft spot in a young stars game, and for Wembanyama, these meetings have become less about novelty and more about proof of where he stands.
The matchup has already produced a compelling back-and-forth in limited chances, with Wembanyama showing he can hold his own defensively while still having to contend with Giannis relentless physicality and all-around production. With two games waiting next season, the Spurs will get a clearer read on how far their franchise centerpiece has come and how much further he still has to go against one of the NBAs defining test cases. [Read more 🡒]