The San Antonio Spurs performed 533 totally different lineup combos on its street to a 22-60 report final season. Clearly, not all of them labored. But even within the insanity of one other dropping season, the Spurs discovered some aggressive lineups.
San Antonio had a +20.8 internet and 96.6 defensive scores When Victor Wembanyama was joined by Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan. That charges out as among the finest items within the NBA final season by way of internet ranking. When the Spurs performed its finest 5, there have been indicators of a aggressive group. These 5 gamers additionally occur to be key cogs in San Antonio’s younger core.
The Spurs have added to that core this summer season with two veterans, Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, together with a top-5 choose in Stephon Citadel. With these signings and San Antonio kids including one other 12 months underneath their belts, expectations are excessive. However what combos of Spurs will make for one of the best lineups? Let’s discover some lineups we’ll seemingly see play loads within the 2024-25 NBA season.
The Starters:
Chris Paul – Devin Vassell – Harrison Barnes – Jeremy Sochan – Victor Wembanyama
This 12 months there appears to be a transparent beginning 5 on opening evening. Final season San Antonio had a beginning lineup dilemma, as they wanted to bench one among their younger gamers. It began with Jones and ended with Johnson. With each gamers prone to settle for bench roles, and beginning wing Julian Champagnie higher serving as a three-and-D wing within the second unit, there’s room for the newly acquired vets to begin.
This lineup lastly offers some ground spacing round Wembanyama. Sochan and Wemby are the one gamers within the projected beginning 5 that didn’t shoot above 37% from deep final season. Paul will be capable of fill Jones’ function as a pick-and-roll playmaker within the half-court, permitting Sochan and Vassell to fit into off-ball roles. San Antonio can even use Vassell and Wembanyama as playmakers within the beginning 5, with Paul and Barnes offering a larger off-ball presence than final season.
Defensively Paul is a downgrade from Jones, and Sacramento Kings followers typically expressed frustration with Barnes’s play on that finish. Nonetheless, the veterans will give the Spurs some savvy positional defenders alongside among the finest defensive anchors within the NBA in Wembanyama. Vassell and Sochan’s enchancment on protection will likely be what swings this from a very good to an amazing protection.
Wemby + shooters:
Chris Paul – Devin Vassell – Julian Champagnie – Harrison Barnes – Victor Wembanyama
Final season groups regularly packed the paint in opposition to the Spurs in an try to chop off Wembanyama’s area across the hoop. San Antonio couldn’t punish defenses for this technique, as they shot simply 34.7% from deep. With the addition of Barnes and Paul, the Spurs can now put a lineup of constant shooters round Wembanyama. This could open up the ground and provides Wemby much more alternatives to attain or make performs for others within the half-court.
One of the best factor about this lineup is that they aren’t dropping playmaking when Sochan goes to the bench. Wemby, CP3 and Vassell are all able to initiating offense, with Barnes and Champagnie enjoying floor-spacing roles. There may be ample alternative for benefit creation with this lineup offensively.
Champagnie shot 36.5% from deep final season and made strides as a defender. If Sochan will get off to a gradual begin in his third season, I wouldn’t be stunned if there have been requires Champagnie to re-enter the beginning 5 to offer ground spacing. This lineup may very well be the Spurs’ finest run-and-gun lineup and can maintain its personal defensively.
The Buzzsaw:
Tre Jones – Stephon Citadel – Julian Champagnie – Jeremy Sochan – Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama’s defensive prowess has been well-documented. Final season the Spurs had just a few gamers who made enhancements on that finish as effectively. Sochan was tasked with guarding among the league’s finest particular person scorers. Champagnie is a bodily defender inside and outside. Jones is a pest on the level of assault with among the finest steal charges on the group. Now they add one other defensive piece in Citadel to that core.
Citadel was an superior defender on and off the ball at UCONN final season. He has a excessive motor, an amazing body and good defensive instincts. He brings a physicality and aggressiveness that this protection wants. He and Jones on the level of assault can be a nightmare for opposing guards. Even when they get previous them, they’ve the potential defensive participant of the 12 months awaiting them within the paint. The defensive potential of this lineup is attractive.
There can be some floor-spacing kinks to work out. Jones shot the ball significantly better from deep final 12 months (42.1% from three after the All-Star break) however you may’t depend on him as a ground spacer. Citadel’s bounce shot seemingly wants some work, and Spurs followers are effectively conscious of Sochan’s struggles from deep. This lineup will seemingly have to pitch shutouts to be actually efficient.
Bench mob:
Tre Jones – Stephon Citadel – Julian Champagnie – Keldon Johnson – Zach Collins
San Antonio has some sneaky depth this 12 months. They transfer two starters to the bench in Champagnie and Jones, hold Johnson in his sixth-man function, and add a top-5 choose in Citadel. If Collins has a bounce-back season, there must be some actual weapons on this second unit.
I’m most desirous about Johnson’s function this season. He’s turn out to be considerably of an missed part of the roster, but he was the group’s third-leading scorer final season, and solely a 12 months faraway from main the group in factors per sport. Final season he relied a bit an excessive amount of on his jumper as an alternative of attending to the basket. With one other ground spacer like Champagnie becoming a member of the bench, perhaps there will likely be extra reps for Johnson to come back off screens or zoom motion to get downhill. Getting again to his “Mustang” methods would assist San Antonio’s bench scoring.
Citadel will get the SGA remedy:
Chris Paul – Stephon Citadel – Devin Vassell – Harrison Barnes – Victor Wembanyama
One in every of CP3’s finest late-career seasons got here in his one-year stint with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. Many credit score his tutelage of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a giant motive the OKC guard has turn out to be a famous person. May Paul handle an identical feat with the Spurs’ new huge guard?
It might be nice to see Citadel and Paul share the ground a bit. Not solely will or not it’s a very good expertise for the rookie, however it’s a seamless basketball match. Citadel spent a whole lot of time with one other ball-handler at UCONN, the place he might spend extra time chopping and screening offensively. Paul has performed in a whole lot of two-guard lineups and understands the right way to area the ground subsequent to a different ball-handler. Citadel can even take robust defensive assignments and disrupt opposing offenses on the level of assault. On this case, they’re each flanked by three of the Spurs’ finest offensive gamers.
Let’s get bizarre:
Chris Paul – Keldon Johnson – Sidy Cissoko – Sandro Mamukelashvili – Victor Wembanyama
This final lineup is only for enjoyable. San Antonio has pushed the tempo the previous few years, ending close to the highest of the league in tempo of play. This group might play quick and with aptitude.
Paul is among the finest passing guards of all time. Sidy Cissoko and Sandro Mamukelashvili are younger gamers who’re good passers and may deal with the ball on the open ground. Johnson and Wembanyama might function as leaders of the offense. This group would lead the league in jaw-dropping dishes and quick break factors.
