After two blowout wins and an exhilarating OT victory had the Summer season Spurs sitting at 3-0 in Las Vegas however nonetheless needing a win by an honest margin to advance to the “playoffs”, they lastly got here again all the way down to earth with a blowout loss to the Hornets. Whereas they may have another “exhibition” sport that can be assigned quickly, for all intents and functions, Summer season League is over, and now we face a protracted 70+ days till media day and coaching camp.
With that in thoughts, I assumed it could be nearly as good a time as any to check out the present state of the roster. We’re nearly three weeks into free company, and whereas the Spurs have made extra understated strikes than some groups, they’ve been very stable ones that addressed areas of want, all whereas holding on to their greatest property. Let’s begin with what adjustments have been made.
Who’s out and who’s in
Six gamers who had been on the Spurs’ principal roster on the finish of final season have left, both through free company or commerce:
Chris Paul — free agent, unsigned
Charles Bassey — free agent, enjoying summer season league with Celtics
Bismack Biyombo — free agent, unsigned
Sandro Mamukelashvili — free agent, signed with Raptors
Malaki Branham — traded to Wizards
Blake Wesley — traded to Wizards
In flip, the Spurs have acquired 4 new gamers and re-signed one among their very own:
Dylan Harper — drafted 2nd total
Carter Bryant — drafted 14th total
Luke Kornet — free agent, signed for 4 yr/$41 million
Kelly Olynyk — acquired from Wizards, 1 yr/$13 million remaining
Jordan McLaughlin — free agent, re-signed for 1 yr/$3 million
This has the Spurs at 13 assured contracts. They’re required to have 14 of their 15 slots crammed at the beginning of the common season, so that they nonetheless have at the very least another transfer to make almost about the principle roster. Additionally notice that former two-way gamers Harrison Ingram and Riley Minix had been prolong qualifying gives and are at present restricted free brokers, however these gives will be rescinded which permits them to re-sign as a two-way participant or be part of the principle roster at any time.
Present Roster
Whereas holding in thoughts that the NBA is transferring increasingly more in the direction of being “position-less”, and there may be extra interchangeability between gamers and positions, that is at the very least how I see the Spurs rotation chart shaking out on day 1 with the present roster:
PG: DeAaron Fox — Dylan Harper — Jordan McLaughlin
SG: Stephon Fortress — Keldon Johnson
SF: Devin Vassell — Julian Champagnie — Carter Bryant
PF: Harrison Barnes — Jeremy Sochan
C: Victor Wembanyama — Luke Kornet — Kelly Olynyk
Two-way: Riley Minex, Harrison Ingram
In fact, none of that is set in stone, however I believe it at the very least defines the beginning and backup rotations precisely. My largest query can be whether or not Barnes or Sochan begins, which can come all the way down to how far Sochan’s outdoors shot has come. Additionally, gamers like Harper, Fortress, Johnson, Vassell and Bryant can all play a number of positions, and stretch fives like Wemby and Olynyk may additionally play subsequent to Kornet or Sochan. The underside line is no matter how the rotation shakes out, the Spurs are arguably a 12-deep squad even with two extra open roster spots out there, which is an effective place to be.
Cap area left
The Spurs are at present above the first apron however nonetheless have exceptions and wage cap room to spare. Kornet was signed utilizing simply over $14 million of the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Degree exception, leaving them one other $3.1 million to work with. In addition they nonetheless have the whole thing of the Bi-Annual Exception, which is price about $5.1 million. Assuming that’s what they use on their remaining roster spot(s), they’re projected to have a complete group wage of about $176 million for the 2025-26 season, practically $20 million under the primary apron’s exhausting cap of $196 million, courtesy of Spotrac.
(Getting under that quantity is why you see groups just like the Celtics having to let some key gamers like Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis go, in any other case they face extreme restrictions. The second apron is not any joke and one thing the Spurs must monitor themselves in coming years, however we’ll cross that bridge once we get to it.)
Who’s eligible to signal a contract extension?
Different strikes we should always see within the coming weeks are contract extensions. Sochan is eligible to signal his rookie contract extension, which might kick in for the 2026-27 season. They’ve up till the day earlier than the common season begins to make a deal, in any other case he would develop into a restricted free agent subsequent summer season (which means the Spurs would have the appropriate to match any supply he receives whereas nonetheless with the ability to negotiate with him themselves).
Rookie scale contracts will be for as much as 5 years and price as much as 25% of the wage cap within the first yr, with 8% raises every year. It’s extremely unlikely Sochan indicators for anyplace close to the max (which is what the Thunder did with each fellow 2022 draftees, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams). As a substitute, he’s projected to be extra within the $12-20 million per yr vary. In the event that they don’t attain an settlement or he needs to try to elevate his worth with an improved offensive sport this season, they’ll all the time re-negotiate subsequent summer season (however as a rule, gamers attempt to settle after yr three).
Fox can also be eligible to signal a contract extension and is anticipated to take action. It will additionally kick in subsequent summer season, however he can’t signal his extension till August 3 (six months after he was acquired on February 3). His present max supply can be for four-years, $229 million. He may wait till subsequent summer season to get a little bit extra per season at $296 million throughout 5 years utilizing his Hen Rights, however most indicators are he needs to be part of the Spurs’ future, and the Spurs don’t need to danger dropping him subsequent summer season, so an settlement is prone to be made this summer season.
One factor to contemplate is it’s attainable how a lot or what number of years the Spurs had been prepared to supply Fox modified after they gained the lottery and the appropriate to draft a guard with future star potential in Harper, so possibly a equally profitable however shorter three-year extension is a chance for Fox. Regardless, Harper’s subsequent contract gained’t matter till 2029-2030 — 2028-29 for Fortress — in order that leaves a window for the Spurs to lock up Fox within the meantime.
Barring any shock trades, the Spurs roster is just about set in stone for subsequent season apart from at the very least one assured roster spot and the two-way positions. Ingram and Minix are two gamers to regulate, in addition to Summer season League breakout star David Jones-Garcia. You too can try the NBA’s Free Company Tracker to see who’s nonetheless out there, however odds are they gained’t be gamers who’re in search of a major position.
Like all the time, we’ll preserve you knowledgeable on each transaction that goes down right here at PtR, and we will even do our greatest to maintain you entertained throughout the lengthy, sizzling, grueling months of the summer season (or winter, in case you’re south of the equator), so you should definitely stick round!
