The Spurs head to Salt Lake City on Monday still chasing that first preseason win, and the bigger storyline may be whether they finally get their full backcourt on the floor.
San Antonio is 0-2 after Saturday’s 102-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns, a game that left Mitch Johnson sounding plenty unsatisfied. The Spurs coach said the team wasn’t playing to its usual level and pointed directly at the calendar, with opening night against the Oklahoma City Thunder coming on Oct. 20.
"Tonight (was) not up to the standard that we want," Johnson said, "and we just have to make sure we take advantage of the opportunities in front of us. We play opening night in 10 days; tonight would not feel like we are ready to go."
Johnson leaned deep into his bench in Phoenix, using the night to give fringe and developmental players more run while the organization continues sorting out the roster. Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle all finished in double figures, with Wembanyama posting 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Spurs keep testing his playmaking.
Harper led the way with 15 points after scoring 16 in the preseason opener against Atlanta. Julian Champagnie continued to strengthen his case for rotation minutes, while rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. made the most of his time, putting up 10 points and five rebounds in just nine minutes.
Johnson has already taken notice of Reed Jr.’s physical edge. The coach compared the developmental process to watching children learn in school.
"It's kind of like when your kids start school," Johnson said. "Eery day they get to go, it's something good.
If it doesn't go well, it's still good. Every time (the rookies) get on the court, they ... learn from it.
Positive reinforcement, learning opportunities or moments. It's great."
Monday’s game brings a new layer of intrigue because San Antonio still hasn’t gotten a clean look at the three-guard group it has spent camp discussing. De'Aaron Fox has sat out the first two preseason games with hip tightness, and that has kept Fox, Harper and Castle from sharing the floor together in game action.
If Fox is cleared, the Spurs could finally open with that trio alongside Devin Vassell and Wembanyama. If not, Champagnie is the likeliest candidate to start again after filling in in each of the first two games.
The Spurs also remain without veteran forward Tobias Harris, who is sidelined by a calf injury, giving Johnson even more room to experiment. That’s part of the point of preseason, but Johnson’s message after the Phoenix loss made it clear he wants the details tightening up now, not later. San Antonio had 19 turnovers against the Suns and trailed by as many as 15 before mounting a late push.
Reed Jr. will be worth another look against Utah, especially after the energy he brought in Phoenix. His physicality gives San Antonio a different look inside, and more preseason minutes could help define what his role looks like once the games start counting.
The Spurs’ injury picture got a little murkier when second-year forward Bryant left Saturday’s loss after twisting his ankle on a play where he stepped on Devin Vassell’s foot. Johnson said after the game that the severity was still unknown, so Bryant’s status remains uncertain. That adds another wrinkle to a preseason already shaped by availability.
Utah has its own lineup questions, even after opening preseason at 1-1 with a split against the Denver Nuggets. Rookie guard Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, turned heads in the Jazz’s latest game with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, plus three rebounds and three assists. He struggled in his preseason debut, then bounced back in a big way.
Lauri Markkanen is another major variable. He missed Utah’s most recent preseason game with neck soreness, and his availability would change the matchup for San Antonio.
The Jazz could roll out a backcourt of Keyonte George and Peterson, with Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt depending on who’s available. Center is less settled after Jusuf Nurkić was ruled out for four weeks following a partial plantar plate tear in the second toe of his right foot.
That could leave Jaxson Hayes starting at center, or push Jackson to the five in a smaller look. Hayes started Utah’s last preseason game with Peterson, George, Jackson Jr. and second-year pro Ace Bailey.
For San Antonio, though, the biggest question is still Fox. The team has spent camp talking about what that three-guard alignment could look like, but injuries have kept it from showing up in a preseason game. Monday is another chance to see it in action.
Champagnie, for his part, said the group hardly needs extra fuel.
“We lost the Finals. Did you know that?”
Champagnie told San Antonio Express-News reporter Jeff McDonald. “That’s all the motivation we need.”
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There is also a frontcourt wrinkle that gives the night extra bite for Utah. Jaren Jackson Jr. is set for the kind of assignment that can help reset how people view his defense, while the Spurs will put plenty of stress on anyone asked to handle Victor Wembanyama. For the Jazz, preseason games can sometimes feel like a long warm-up, but this one offers a clearer test of who can claim a job and who can help anchor the team once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]