Mitch Johnson has a pretty enviable problem on his hands. The Spurs have enough talent at every spot to mix and match almost anything they want, and that opens the door to some seriously nasty lineup combinations.
One of the most intriguing? De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Carter Bryant, and Victor Wembanyama all on the floor together.
That group has the kind of upside that can tilt a game fast. Fox, Harper, and Castle give San Antonio three elite guards who can attack, create, and keep pressure on a defense.
Bryant adds length, defense, and the chance to stretch the floor. Wembanyama is the anchor, the force who can change everything on both ends.
It’s not a small-ball look, but it has the feel of the NBA’s next version of a Death Lineup.
What makes it so appealing is the balance. Wembanyama and Bryant would give the Spurs a nasty defensive backbone, with Wemby protecting the rim and Bryant handling multiple positions.
Castle, already the team’s best point-of-attack defender, would be able to lean even harder into that role with Harper and Fox sharing the backcourt workload. That leaves San Antonio with three defenders who can cover the perimeter and the paint at a high level.
The offense would be just as tough to sort out. The guards bring multiple ball-handling options and real shot creation, while Bryant can space the floor and attack as a slasher. And then there’s Wemby doing Wemby things.
For that lineup to really hum, though, the Spurs need more from everyone involved. Harper, Castle, and Fox would be at their best if they can punish teams from the catch. All three can beat defenders off the dribble and get downhill, but the spacing only works if they’re making shots consistently when defenses collapse.
There’s reason to think that part can come along. Castle and Harper both showed growth as long-range shooters in the second half of last season.
Bryant still has to prove he can be a reliable floor spacer over the course of a full season, and he also needs to improve as a finisher. If he does, he becomes much more than a defensive specialist.
Wembanyama’s next step is the biggest one. He has already flashed the ability to create shots, and now the Spurs need that to become a real feature of his game. If he can punish teams with the space around him, this lineup gets even more dangerous.
If those pieces click next season, closing games against San Antonio could be a nightmare. The combination of elite defense and real offensive firepower would give opposing coaches plenty to lose sleep over.
In Other News...
Spurs Cannot Afford To Repeat This Jeremy Sochan Mistake With Carter Bryant
Carter Bryant has given the Spurs an early reminder of why fit matters as much as raw talent. The rookie has looked comfortable in a role that plays to his strengths, with enough shooting and athletic pop to project as the kind of three-and-D wing San Antonio has been trying to develop around its young core.
That is why the comparison to Jeremy Sochan lands so sharply. Sochans path showed how quickly good intentions can go sideways when a prospect is pushed into a job that does not match his game, and Bryant looks far better served by the way the Spurs are handling him so far. The ceiling is still theoretical, but the organization has every reason to be careful not to repeat a development detour it already lived through. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Fans May Need A Reality Check On The Murray Trade
The Dejounte Murray trade has become a useful reminder that draft-pick value can change fast, especially when the other team turns out better than expected. San Antonio entered the deal thinking it might be stockpiling lottery help, but Atlantas rise pushed those selections farther down the board, changing the shape of the return without erasing the logic behind the move.
One piece of the deal still remains on the horizon in the form of Atlantas 2027 first-rounder, and even that asset may not carry quite the same upside the Spurs once imagined. Even so, the trade sits in a broader chain of events that helped San Antonio land the first overall pick and, ultimately, Victor Wembanyama, which is why the deal still looks like a win even if the margin is not as dramatic as it once seemed. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Look Built To Fully Unleash Victor Wembanyama
The Spurs kept their roster churn moving by bringing back David Jones-Garcia on another two-way contract, a move that restores a familiar developmental piece after his season was interrupted by a severe ankle injury. To make room, San Antonio waived Emanuel Miller, leaving the club with 17 players under contract and the kind of roster flexibility that has become part of the front offices broader plan.
More than just filling spots, the shuffle reflects how intentionally the Spurs have built around Victor Wembanyama. With 14 players on standard deals and three on two-way contracts, San Antonio has given itself depth and versatility that should help keep the load manageable across the season, while still preserving enough talent and size to stay competitive night after night. [Read more 🡒]