Coming off their first Finals appearance since 2014, the San Antonio Spurs have to be feeling good about where they stand right now. With superstar Victor Wembanyama and a stacked supporting cast, they seemingly have all the pieces they need to contend for years to come.
So what would happen if they fall short of their goals for the upcoming season? According to former NBA point guard Jeff Teague, it might not be the worst thing for the Spurs. In his mind, it would give them the perfect excuse to shake things up and tweak the roster.
“People expecting a lot from the Spurs, bro,” said Teague on Club520. “I think we all think it’s a Spurs-OKC race in the West right now. If they don’t make the Finals this year, everybody’s gonna be like ‘Damn, they fell off a little bit.’ It’d probably be a relief for the Spurs organization, though, because they can make trades. Not for everybody looking, you know what I mean, because they’d be able to make a trade. At some point, they gotta make a trade. Somebody’s gonna get traded. But if you win a championship and you trade guys, that’s tough.”
On paper, the Spurs are built for long-term success. Between Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson, and Dylan Harper, they have one of the best rosters in the league and are well-balanced across the board. Last season, we saw their potential for ourselves during their run to the Finals, which involved incredible series victories over the Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, and Thunder. This summer, you could argue they got even better with the addition of Tobias Harris, who adds much-needed scoring on the perimeter.
So, going into the 2026-27 campaign, it’s no wonder why the Spurs are viewed as the favorites in the West. They dethroned the Thunder and are being led by the best young player in the game. That’s why, if they somehow fail to build on their success or show signs of decline, it could compel the Spurs to start making serious changes, and the first place they’ll look is the backcourt.
With Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox, there’s a bit of a logjam at point guard right now, and giving up one of them (likely Fox) in exchange for their ideal roster addition could be the best path to improvement. At the very least, a trade would assure Wembanyama that the Spurs are in the business of competing now and are willing to do whatever it takes to capture a title.
In the end, when it comes to the Western Conference, the Spurs and Thunder are the teams to beat. Expectations couldn’t be higher, and failure to meet them could result in desperate measures. What that means for the NBA’s future trade market is unclear, but the stakes are clearly high for both teams next season as they look to build upon their quick success. Depending on how it plays out, things could get really interesting in February, which marks the last opportunity for change before the deadline.
