After defeating the Phoenix Suns 86-81 on Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs tied a bow on a pleasant Summer season League. After going winless in Sacramento, the Spurs bounced again in Las Vegas, going 4-1, simply narrowly lacking the playoffs.
In contrast to years prior, the Spurs didn’t have a hyped top-10 draftee to hold followers’ consideration all through the Summer season League. They did have a number of gamers who might issue into San Antonio’s long-term plans. For probably the most half, they performed nicely. Let’s break down the nice, the unhealthy, and the ugly from the 2026 summer season Spurs.
Carter Bryant and Tarris Reed Jr. had been the gamers most Spurs followers had been excited to observe this summer season. Bryant performed a minor function on an NBA Finals staff in his rookie season, and Reed was a first-round choose who’s more likely to issue into subsequent yr’s staff as a third-string heart. The very last thing you need is for gamers who’re more likely to issue into the common season rotation trying unhealthy within the Summer season League. San Antonio didn’t have that drawback.
Bryant needed to shake off some rust in his first sport in Vegas, however rapidly bounced again, averaging 15.5 factors in his two video games. The Spurs requested Bryant to play on the ball offensively in his first sport, the place he struggled (extra on that later). In sport two, he slotted into an off-ball wing function the place he thrived on straight-line drives and catch-and-shoot makes an attempt. Bryant regarded sturdy in comparison with the competitors, and confirmed a few good mid-range jumpers, clearing house with that energy. Getting these on-ball reps now will repay come October.
Reed had a extra constant summer season expertise. He averaged 7.7 factors and eight.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per sport. Summer season League is a guard-oriented sport, so Reed didn’t get a whole lot of probabilities to dominate offensively, which is ok as a result of he possible received’t have that chance within the NBA. As an alternative, Reed confirmed what is going to make him a serviceable NBA participant in his rookie season. He units arduous, bodily screens that open up a whole lot of house for his teammates. He has nice dimension that enables him to filter the paint and seize boards on each ends (8.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes is loopy), and has good contact to attain inside. His defensive foot velocity might use some work, as he discovered himself misplaced on that finish on a number of events. He regarded like a participant who can present San Antonio with spot minutes, or fill in if Victor Wembanyama or Luke Kornet have to miss video games.
San Antonio additionally has two second-round picks on two-way contracts. Contenders hardly ever want their two-way participant to contribute a lot, but when the Spurs do, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown look as much as the duty.
Brown shined as a flexible defender with elite palms. He averaged 2.8 steals this summer season, swiping the ball away below the basket or utilizing his size to get into the passing lanes. He confirmed glimpses of having the ability to play small-ball heart together with his wingspan and glorious instincts as a assist defender. He must placed on a bit extra muscle to play the 5 within the NBA, however there may be potential for him to be an attention-grabbing depth piece as a 4/5 man. It’s additionally price noting that Brown hit a few three-pointers this summer season. Creating a shot would take his sport to a different degree.
Gillespie began the summer season on an ice-cold capturing stretch, however bounced again, ending the summer season averaging 16 factors a sport on 40% capturing from the sector and 30.8% from three. He all the time appeared to be transferring with and with out the ball to get right into a place to attain or to discover a teammate for look. The pictures didn’t all the time fall, however he was in a position to create separation towards NBA expertise and get to his spots. Regardless of his smaller stature, Gillespie regarded the half defensively, snatching 2 steals per sport this summer season, making use of a whole lot of strain on the ball. Gillespie must be stable for the Austin Spurs this season, and will consider as a break-in-case-of-emergency ball-handler for the NBA staff.
Lee was the shock participant that received Spurs followers speaking this summer season. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing with a clean bounce shot from three. He’s not an unimaginable athlete, however he performs arduous and may knock down pictures. That was no extra obvious than when he had 22 factors on 4/7 capturing from deep towards Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz. Lee possible received’t get a two-way contract with the Spurs this summer season, however he’s actually price preserving in Austin to observe his growth.
Carter Bryant on the ball
Bryant didn’t look good in his on-ball reps. He doesn’t have a pointy deal with, and he’s not nice at creating separation towards even G League defenders proper now. That’s the unhealthy information. The excellent news is the Spurs don’t want him to interrupt guys down off the dribble. They’ve Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Fortress and Dylan Harper to do this. Bryant will shine on the defensive finish. San Antonio wants him to be an off-ball participant who can play aggressively together with his athleticism and knock down open jumpers offensively. He ought to thrive long run because the 4th or fifth possibility whereas guarding the hardest wing on the opposing staff. Getting these on-ball reps within the Summer season League will go an extended technique to creating his expertise so he can step up and create pictures in additional restricted offensive lineups.
One factor that drives me loopy about Summer season League ball is how the guards don’t take a look at the massive males inside. There have been many events this summer season the place Reed would have a participant pinned on a seal after a pick-and-roll and a guard would chuck up a nasty shot. The guard-dominant type of the Summer season League made it arduous to observe and luxuriate in video games this summer season. Which brings me to…
I’ve been accustomed to watching a whole lot of unhealthy basketball in my life. I get pleasure from watching faculty and highschool basketball to find out about which gamers might be within the league within the close to future. Watching gamers develop is certainly one of my favourite issues concerning the NBA. So Summer season League, in most seasons, is a enjoyable time of yr for a fan like me. However I feel the 2025-26 Spurs broke me. It’s not like they had been the Lovely Sport Spurs from a decade in the past, however they moved the ball nicely and guarded their tails off. Going from that degree of basketball to the Summer season League this yr was STARK. It was arduous to observe guys chuck unhealthy pictures, flip the ball over, and drive into visitors with no plan. It was a number of the ugliest basketball I’ve watched shortly, and I’m glad that the following time we see the Silver and Black play, it will likely be with largely all the NBA staff.
