The Spurs’ early-season stumble has already raised one question, but a rookie may have just pushed another one to the front of the line.
San Antonio has dropped two of its first three games, and both losses came at home. Even so, the team is still considered the clear favorite to win the title this season. What looks more uncertain now is the shape of the center rotation behind Victor Wembanyama.
Luke Kornet has filled that backup role reliably since last season, and the Spurs have generally leaned on him as the safer option when Wembanyama sits. But Tarris Reed Jr. may be making that choice a little less straightforward.
That conversation got louder in San Antonio’s first win of the season on the road against Dallas. The Mavericks had built momentum heading into the fourth quarter, but Mitch Johnson changed the look of the frontcourt by starting Reed in the final period instead of Kornet. In that short stretch, Reed brought clear energy on defense and on the glass.
Johnson later praised the rookie’s work against Dallas, saying his energy was infectious and badly needed for a group that had looked flat and lifeless.
Reed had already flashed in the preseason, and now he’s giving the Spurs something to think about. Kornet may still be the steadier option, but he has not been especially effective to start the year.
If Kornet keeps struggling with rebounding and finishing around the rim, San Antonio will have to seriously weigh moving Reed ahead of him in the center pecking order. With teams usually trying to attack when Wembanyama goes to the bench, that backup spot matters a lot, even if changing it would mean shaking up a rotation that helped the Spurs reach the Finals last season.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Upgrade Around Wembanyama
Injuries to Anthony Edwards and Jalen Williams have turned the Spurs roster-building conversations into something more immediate, and it has them looking at ways to sharpen the group around Victor Wembanyama. The appeal is obvious: San Antonio needs more defense and more dependable shooting, and the kind of upgrades that once felt like long-shot ideas suddenly feel more plausible when the market shifts.
Two names that surface in those discussions are PJ Washington and Royce ONeale, each offering a different fit for what the Spurs are trying to build. Washington would bring frontcourt versatility, while ONeale would add another wing who can defend and space the floor, but neither idea is simple, and any move would still depend on player availability and approvals before it goes anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A New Frost Bank Center Feel Players Are Talking About
The Frost Bank Center has a different look these days, and it is the kind of arena tweak players tend to notice right away. San Antonio has installed a new lighting system that puts more emphasis on the court while dimming the seating areas, bringing the building in line with what many other NBA venues already do.
Luke Kornet has already picked up on the change and talked about how it alters the atmosphere inside the building, giving games a sharper focus once the lights go down. Coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, has not made much of the adjustment himself, which only adds to the sense that this is one of those subtle arena changes that matters more to the people on the floor than the people running the team. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Created Another Wild Spurs Moment In A Win Over Sacramento
Victor Wembanyama has already made the Spurs must-see television, and he added another odd little highlight in a win over Sacramento by helping a referee get a ball loose from the top of the backboard. With a stick and the kind of reach only he can offer, the rookie turned a dead-ball delay into one more reminder of just how different life looks when he is on the floor.
The moment fit the night, because San Antonio also left the arena with a victory and a clearer sense of where it stands after a strong showing against the Kings. Wembanyama spoke afterward about the teams progress, and for the Spurs that part may matter more than the viral sequence, even if both are becoming part of the growing Wembanyama experience. [Read more 🡒]