The Spurs made one of the league’s biggest jumps in 2025-26. They went 62-20, finished second in the West, ranked fourth in offensive rating, third in defensive rating, and reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
The Knicks won the Finals in five games. The Spurs blew a 29-point lead in Game 4 and a 15-point lead in Game 5 closeout loss.
That loss will create pressure around the roster, but the Spurs are not in a bad position. Their four most important young players are all under contract. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant are still on rookie deals. De’Aaron Fox begins his max extension. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson remain on mid-sized contracts.
The Spurs have nine players listed under contract for 2026-27. Eight salaries are guaranteed. Julian Champagnie has a $3.0 million team option that becomes guaranteed on August 1.
They also own the No. 20 pick. Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo, Mason Plumlee, Jordan McLaughlin, and Lindy Waters III can become unrestricted free agents.
Here is the full list of Spurs players already under contract for the 2026-27 season.
Spurs Players Already Under Contract For 2026-27
The Spurs have $149.5 million in guaranteed salary tied to eight players. That number rises to $152.5 million if they exercise Champagnie’s option.
The projected salary cap is $165.0 million. The Spurs are below it before adding the No. 20 pick and filling the roster, but they do not have major cap space ready to use.
1. De’Aaron Fox: $49.5 million
2. Devin Vassell: $27.0 million
3. Keldon Johnson: $17.5 million
4. Victor Wembanyama: $16.9 million
5. Dylan Harper: $13.0 million
6. Luke Kornet: $10.5 million
7. Stephon Castle: $10.0 million
8. Carter Bryant: $5.1 million
9. Julian Champagnie: $3.0 million team option
Fox will take almost one-third of the projected salary cap by himself. The next three largest salaries belong to Vassell, Johnson, and Wembanyama. Harper, Castle, and Bryant remain inexpensive because they are still on rookie contracts.
This is a strong salary structure. Fox is expensive, but the rest of the main core remains affordable for one more season.
That will change soon because Wembanyama is eligible for a rookie max extension this summer. The extension will not begin until 2027-28, but it will define every future roster decision.
De’Aaron Fox Begins His Max Extension
Fox becomes the highest-paid player on the roster at $49.5 million. This is the first season of the four-year extension he signed in August 2025. The contract keeps him with the Spurs through 2029-30.
The regular season was solid, but not at the level of the salary. Fox averaged 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. He shot 48.6% from the field, 33.2% from three, and 76.0% from the line.
His scoring dropped because the Spurs had more ball handlers and more offensive options. Castle became the main passer for long stretches, Harper created offense from the bench, and Wembanyama remained the center of the system. Fox did not need to average 25 points like he did with the Kings.
The playoffs created more concern. Fox averaged 15.6 points and shot 41.4% from the field and 29.4% from three. His Finals were worse. He scored seven points on 3-of-15 shooting in Game 5 and made the main late mistake in the Game 4 collapse.
The Spurs should not rush into a trade. Fox still gives them speed, rim pressure, passing, and experience.
The contract is still the largest question on the roster. The Spurs have three young guards who need the ball. Castle averaged 7.4 assists. Harper showed during the Finals that he can handle important possessions. Fox is now making almost $50.0 million before Wembanyama’s next contract begins.
The Spurs must decide how the three-guard group works long term. Keeping all three is possible now, but it becomes harder once Castle and Harper approach extensions.
For now, Fox should remain the starting point guard. The Finals showed that he needs to be more efficient and more controlled in late possessions. His salary will bring higher expectations next season.
Victor Wembanyama Remains The Best Contract On The Team
Wembanyama will make only $16.9 million in the final season of his rookie contract. He is the fourth-highest-paid player on the roster, even though he is clearly the best player. He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.1 blocks in 64 games. He shot 51.2% from the field, 34.9% from three, and 82.7% from the line.
Wembanyama won Defensive Player of the Year and led the league in blocks again. He also carried the Spurs through the West and won Western Conference Finals MVP. His postseason showed that the team can already contend around him.
His $16.9 million salary is one of the best values in the league. It gives the Spurs one more summer to use a cheap superstar contract before the extension begins. Wembanyama is eligible for a five-year rookie max extension. Current projections place the base value around $251.0 million, with a higher total possible through award-based escalators.
That extension would start in 2027-28. The Spurs do not need to worry about losing him in 2026, but they need to plan for the larger salary now. This gives the Spurs one more season before Wembanyama changes the payroll. Fox is already expensive, and Castle and Harper will also need new deals later.
They should use that window carefully. They do not need another star just to make a big move. They need shooting, a stable playoff offense, and more frontcourt depth. Wembanyama already gives them the franchise player.
Stephon Castle And Dylan Harper Keep The Backcourt Affordable
Castle and Harper will make a combined $23.0 million in 2026-27. That is a small number for two guards who already played major roles on a Finals team.
Castle will make $10.0 million in the third season of his rookie contract. He averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 47.1% from the field.
His passing improvement changed the offense. Castle finished sixth in the league in assists per game and gave the Spurs a large guard who could defend, rebound, and create. His three-point shot remained the main weakness at 33.2%.
The Finals were uneven. Castle scored 23 points in the Game 3 win, but he struggled in Game 5 with six points on 1-of-10 shooting. The Knicks went under screens and made him prove he could score from outside.
Castle is still only 21. His contract gives the Spurs time. He is under team control through at least 2027-28, and he becomes extension eligible in 2027.
Harper will make $13.0 million in the second season of his rookie deal. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field.
His regular-season role was smaller behind Fox and Castle. In the Finals, Harper averaged 18.0 points and finished Game 5 with 25 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Harper was the most comfortable Spurs guard against the Knicks’ pressure. He attacked the rim, used his size, and did not look scared by the moment. That will create a bigger role next season.
The Spurs now have a real backcourt decision. Fox is the veteran, Castle is the better passer and defender, and Harper may have the highest scoring ceiling. The low salaries make it possible to keep all three. Fox can start, Castle can work as a secondary creator, and Harper can lead the bench.
This is still a good problem. Castle and Harper together cost less than half of Fox’s salary. That development gives the Spurs options without forcing an immediate move.
Devin Vassell And Keldon Johnson Are The Main Middle Salaries
Devin Vassell will make $27.0 million, while Keldon Johnson will make $17.5 million. These are the two main veteran contracts below Fox.
Vassell averaged 13.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 67 games. He shot 43.7% from the field and remained one of the team’s main perimeter shooters.
His scoring has dropped from 19.5 points in 2023-24 because the roster is deeper. His role is now to defend wings, space the floor, and attack advantages.
The $27.0 million salary is not cheap, but it is reasonable for a starting two-way wing. Vassell is also under contract through 2028-29. The Spurs do not need to make a decision this summer unless they want to use his salary in a larger trade.
Johnson enters the final season of his extension at $17.5 million. He won Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 13.2 points and playing all 82 games. He also set a franchise record with 1,081 points off the bench.
His regular season was excellent for the role. The playoffs were much worse. Johnson averaged only 7.7 points across 23 playoff games and 4.4 points in the Finals.
That creates a real decision. Johnson is still useful, popular, durable, and only 26. His expiring salary also makes him one of the easiest contracts to include in a trade.
The Spurs do not need to move him because of one poor playoff run. A $17.5 million expiring deal for the Sixth Man of the Year is still useful.
But if the Spurs look for another playoff wing or a more reliable shooter, Johnson will appear in trade discussions. Vassell and Johnson are the main salaries that can help the team reach a larger number without touching the young core.
Luke Kornet, Carter Bryant, And Julian Champagnie Fill Important Roles
Kornet will make $10.5 million in the second season of his contract. He averaged 6.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 block while shooting 64.3% from the field.
He gave the Spurs a solid backup center behind Wembanyama. He screened, rebounded, protected the rim, and didn’t need shots. His playoff role dropped to 12.9 minutes per game, but he still helped during the run.
Kornet remains under contract beyond 2026-27. At $10.5 million, he is not an expensive backup for a contender.
Bryant will make $5.1 million in the second season of his rookie contract. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes. He shot 40.8% from the field and 33.5% from three.
He played 71 games and entered the playoff rotation at 20. The Spurs drafted him for defense, athleticism, and long-term wing upside.
The goal is simple. Bryant needs to improve the shot and earn more minutes behind Vassell, Johnson, and Champagnie. His salary is low enough that there is no pressure to move him.
Champagnie is the only player on the list without a fully guaranteed salary. The Spurs hold a $3.0 million team option. If they exercise it, the salary becomes guaranteed on August 1.
The decision should be easy. Champagnie averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 82 games while shooting 38.1% from three.
He also had several strong playoff games, including 20 points and six made threes in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. A 24-year-old wing who can defend and shoot is worth much more than $3.0 million.
Unless the Spurs need the roster spot for a specific move, Champagnie should return automatically.
Free Agents And The No. 20 Pick Will Complete The Roster
The Spurs still have work to do because only nine players are currently listed under contract.
Barnes and Olynyk have the largest free-agent cap holds, but the Spurs can renounce them if they don’t plan to re-sign either player.
Barnes gave the team veteran leadership and started during parts of the season, but his role became smaller during the playoff run. Olynyk gave the Spurs passing and shooting from the frontcourt. Both are useful, but the Spurs should avoid paying large salaries to older role players.
Biyombo, Plumlee, McLaughlin, and Waters are also unrestricted free agents. They could return on small contracts, but none should be a part of the offseason plan.
The No. 20 pick will add another guaranteed player. The projected first-year rookie-scale salary is around $3.9 million. That would push the active salary to roughly $156.4 million if Champagnie returns.
The Spurs could draft for patience because the rotation is already strong. A shooting wing, a mobile forward, or a developmental center would all fit. They do not need the rookie to play 25 minutes immediately.
The team also remains far below the projected first apron, leaving room for exceptions, selected re-signings, or a trade.
The key is not spending money only because it is available. The Spurs already have Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, Harper, Vassell, Johnson, and several cheap role players. They need one or two targeted additions, not a complete roster change.
Final Thoughts
The Spurs enter 2026-27 with one of the strongest contract situations among contenders.
Fox is expensive at $49.5 million, but every other major player is on a reasonable or cheap salary. Wembanyama will make only $16.9 million. Castle and Harper will make $23.0 million combined. Champagnie can return for only $3.0 million.
The roster also has real stability. Eight players have guaranteed contracts, and Champagnie’s option should give the Spurs a ninth. The No. 20 pick will become the tenth standard contract.
The main financial change is coming in 2027, when Wembanyama’s extension begins. That will reduce flexibility and increase the importance of rookie contracts.
The Spurs should use this offseason to improve the supporting group without damaging the young core. They need more shooting, another playoff-level forward, and better late-game execution.
They do not need a desperate response to the Finals loss. A 62-win team led by Wembanyama, Castle, and Harper is already ahead of schedule.
The contract sheet gives them room to stay patient. It also gives them enough trade salaries and draft assets to act if the right player becomes available.
