Victor Wembanyama isn’t sweating the Spurs’ new three-guard look after its first preseason test.
Victor Wembanyama on the 3-guard lineup:
— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) October 15, 2026
“It felt like we were trying to do the right things at the beginning but we scored so few points. But when it clicked, it really clicked.” pic.twitter.com/zu5fvLGb5t
San Antonio opened Wednesday night with De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper all in the starting group alongside Devin Vassell and Wembanyama, and the setup was part of a 123-103 preseason win over the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center. It was the Spurs’ first win of the preseason.
The early minutes were rough. San Antonio scored just three points in the first five minutes and went 1-of-10 from the field. During that stretch, none of the three guards scored or handed out an assist.
Wembanyama said the slow start was more about missed chances than anything broken about the lineup.
“I felt like we were trying to do the right things in the beginning, but we scored so few points. When we clicked, it really clicked,” the 2023 NBA top draft pick said. “When we play good defense, we get to run and we get good shots, and vice versa.”
“I feel like we missed some good shots, and after that you just need to get it going once or twice, and they call a timeout, and you get the momentum,” he added.
After that opening stretch, the group settled in and the offense started to flow. Wembanyama finished with 19 points and four blocks.
Castle added 18 points and made 14 of his 15 free throws. Fox scored nine points, dished four assists and hit both of his three-point attempts.
Harper contributed nine points and six rebounds in 17 minutes.
Asked how confident he is that the lineup can hold up in the regular season, Wembanyama didn’t spend much time talking it up.
“Just as confident as last year. Nobody got worse,” he said.
That confidence comes with some backing. The Spurs went 62-20 last season and reached the NBA Finals, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference Finals before losing to the New York Knicks in five games.
Now San Antonio is betting that keeping most of that group together - and putting its three best guards on the floor at the same time - can give it another level.
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Spurs May Be Seeing An Early Answer Behind Victor Wembanyama
The Spurs have spent the preseason looking for the kind of sturdy interior presence that can take some of the burden off Victor Wembanyama, and rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. has given them a promising early look. Reed has stood out for his work on the glass and around the rim, including a 17-rebound game against Utah and another strong showing against Phoenix, where he finished with three blocks and nine rebounds.
For a young big trying to earn trust in a crowded rotation, that sort of consistency matters as much as the headline numbers. Reed said he plans to keep bringing effort and persistence, and San Antonio will be watching to see whether that carries into a steady role as the season gets closer. The Spurs could use a reliable backup behind Wembanyama, and Reed has at least made that conversation worth having. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Already Have One Big Concern With This Wembanyama Experiment
The Spurs spent a preseason look against Phoenixs backups trying something ambitious, dropping DeAaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama into a guard-heavy lineup that was always going to be watched closely. It was the first time that group had played together, according to coach Mitch Johnson, and even in a small sample it hinted at both sides of the equation San Antonio is trying to balance: enough ballhandling and perimeter talent to pressure defenses, plus the kind of size and activity Wembanyama brings to everything around him.
What showed up quickly, though, was the downside. The group flashed defensive promise, but the spacing and shooting issues were apparent early, leaving the Spurs with a familiar preseason question as they keep sorting through rotations before the games start to count. The idea is intriguing enough to keep revisiting, but the early returns suggest there is still plenty to iron out before this kind of look can be counted on in regular-season minutes. [Read more 🡒]