The San Antonio Spurs endured a rough season after their star, Victor Wembanyama, was benched due to blood clots. By the end, any signs of progress were overshadowed by a measly 34-48 record in the West. Going into a critical offseason, the Spurs will have several decisions to make about their roster, but make no mistake: the rebuilding phase is over, and they are ready to compete.
As a young team still learning and growing, most of the Spurs’ growth will come from within as they slowly develop their game and form winning habits. Still, if the Spurs play their cards right, they could end up with a team that can be competitive in the West while maintaining their flexibility for the future.
While the cost will be great, the Spurs have a lot to gain from winning the Kevin Durant sweepstakes and completing their ambitions of a big three with him, Victor Wembanyama, and De’Aaron Fox. If they can also add another role player on the wing, it will make the Spurs a formidable team that can contend for a championship. In the best-case scenario, their starting lineup can look something like this to open the season:
Point Guard: De’Aaron Fox
Chris Paul was the starting guard for the Spurs until De’Aaron Fox joined the fold, but his arrival has changed things for the better. Coming from the Sacramento Kings, Fox’s full potential was still unknown, given his lack of playoff success. With the Spurs, however, we’re seeing a new side to his game that has resulted in some of the best play of his career.
In 17 games for San Antonio last season, Fox averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 44.6% shooting. His speed, scoring, and playmaking abilities ensure that he’s bringing value to his team, especially on the offensive end, where he’s been known to run things fast-paced. Assuming Fox continues his trajectory, he’ll be a key player for the Spurs next season and a potential All-Star candidate if they’re able to win enough games.
Shooting Guard: Devin Vassell
To counter some of De’Aaron’s deficiencies, the Spurs should pair him with a two-way guard in the backcourt who can make plays off the ball. 24-year-old Devin Vassell certainly fits the bill, and his versatility is no doubt what has earned him a place in the starting rotation. In 64 games last season, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 44.3% shooting.
If Vassell continues his development, he’ll only get better and make the Spurs that much more formidable as a unit. With another three years and $78 million on his contract, Devin is clearly a part of the Spurs’ long-term plans, and you can bet he’ll be a key contributor to their rotation next season.
Small Forward: Herb Jones
The Spurs currently have Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson playing at the wing for them, but they’ll likely have to give up one or both of them in order to make any trade of significance. Still, the Spurs can find a suitable replacement in Herb Jones, a two-way forward from the New Orleans Pelicans.
All the Spurs would have to give up is Stephon Castle and a 2031 second-round pick (via Kings), and they could land a reliable and versatile swingman to help make life easier on Victor Wembanyama. This season, the 26-year-old averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on 43.6% shooting for the Pelicans.
Power Forward: Kevin Durant
As Kevin Durant weighs his future in Phoenix, the Spurs have a chance to create something special by pairing the 2x champion with the best young center in the game. Durant, a 17-year veteran of the NBA, still remains one of the best players at his position, and he’d raise the ceiling of the Spurs to higher than it’s been since the Tim Duncan era. The proposed trade could include Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, and a 2029 first-round pick for Durant.
In the 2024-25 campaign, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for the Suns, and there’s no reason to think he couldn’t put up similar numbers alongside Victor Wembanayama in a disciplined Spurs system. As a great clutch performer and superior shooter, he’d fill all the gaps offensively and ease the pressure off Victor Webanyaa to carry the scoring load.
Center: Victor Wembanyama
The Spurs would still be in a rebuild if not for Victor Wembanyama. The French phenom has taken the reins as face of the franchise, and he’s embraced the pressure that comes along with it. So far, with career averages of 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 47.6% shooting, he’s answered the call and met the greatest expectations.
Despite having last season cut short due to blood clots, Wembanyama is set to make a full recovery by the start of next season, and it will set him up for his best campaign yet. As Victor continues to get better and get more comfortable on the NBA court, we will see the Spurs begin to take on a new identity as they attempt to climb the Western Conference standings. For better or worse, the Spurs will only go as far as Victor takes them, and everything from now until the foreseeable future will evolve around building a championship team around him.
It’s taken years for the Spurs to climb out of the lottery, but for the first time in a long time, they may be in a position to challenge for a playoff spot in the West. At the very least, they’ll be on track to improve their win/loss record for the second year in a row.Â
