Free agents: Cedi Osman, Sandro Mamukelashvili (R), Dominick Barlow (R) and David Duke Jr. (R)
State of the roster: Victor Wembanyama put together one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, but despite the emergence of a top-15 player, the Spurs finished tied for their third-fewest wins in a season in franchise history. The youngest roster in the NBA (nine players under 23) ranked ninth in the fewest number of games missed due to injury and used only 22 different starting lineups this season. For comparison, the Memphis Grizzlies used 51 different starting lineups this season. The inexperience played a role in San Antonio’s 13-28 record in clutch games. The Spurs have 12 players under contract next season, and the clock to improve the roster started the night Wembanyama was drafted, not when the season ended on April 14. When Wembanyama was off the court, San Antonio allowed 117.3 points per 100 possessions compared to 111.2 when he was on the court. The Spurs were 3-8 in the games he did not play. “I don’t pretend to know what we’re going to do,” coach Gregg Popovich said in March. “We have a lot of possibilities ahead of us, whether it’s [having] money in the bank or draft picks or being creative tradewise. All those things are on the table. But aren’t they for every team? I don’t know why we’re any different. We’re just younger.” But the Spurs are not like every other team. They have a 20-year-old franchise player and nine tradable firsts in the next seven years.
NihilisticTaters
Offseason finances: San Antonio is not like fellow rebuilding team Detroit when it comes to cap space. No player on the roster earns more than $30 million, but because of their high lottery picks, San Antonio has less than $20 million in room. Unless the Spurs are going to clear out significant salary, do not expect them to be a major player in free agency. If the Spurs have only their own first, the maximum room they can create is $24 million, which would mean waiving Devonte’ Graham and Charles Bassey. Graham’s $12.7 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on July 1. There is $2.85 million protected. Bassey ($2.5 million) becomes guaranteed on Aug. 1. The Spurs would have the $8 million room exception if they are a cap space team. If they operate above the cap, they will have the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and $4.7 million biannual exception.
Top front office priority: There are multiple questions the front office should ask this offseason. The first is what did this season teach us with Victor Wembanyama on the roster? San Antonio ranked in the top 10 of points allowed per 100 possessions with Wembanyama at center. Offensively, the Spurs struggled shooting the ball with Wembanyama at both power forward and center, shooting 34.7% on 3-pointers. The Spurs as a team ranked 28th in 3-point percentage and were 5-20 when they attempted at least 40 3-pointers. The second is which players on the current roster or in a trade complement him the best? The lineup of Wembanyama with Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson averaged 127.3 points per 100 possessions per Cleaning the Glass. Third, should San Antonio skip the steps in rebuilding and chase an All-Star type player, like Trae Young or perhaps Darius Garland, if either becomes available? That would represent a shift in philosophy in how San Antonio has constructed its roster dating back to Tim Duncan. The difference now is that San Antonio does not have another David Robinson to pair with Wembanyama. And finally, is taking a conservative approach a better strategy knowing the 2025 draft is stronger than the 2024 one? That would require buy-in from Wembanyama to be willing to spend another season at the bottom of the standings.
Extension candidate to watch: The Spurs extended Devin Vassell and Zach Collins this past year. This offseason there is no eligible player on a rookie-scale contract. The only two extension-eligible players are Osman (thru June 30) and Graham, who could be a roster casualty if the Spurs are looking to create cap space.
EMolinero
The headline is a bit deceptive as it’s not really proposing a path forward instead the article is just a summary of every eliminated teams’ current status. But I had ChatGPT summarize each section in ten words or less.
**State of the roster**: Spurs struggle despite rookie star; focus on roster improvement.
**Offseason finances**: Spurs limited in free agency due to salary cap constraints.
**Top front office priorities**: Assess Wembanyama’s impact, seek complementary players, consider trade for star.
**Extension candidates**: No rookie-scale contract extensions this offseason, roster adjustments possible.
**Team Needs**: Point guard consistency needed; improve bench perimeter shooting.
Very accurate, very bland if you’ve absorbed any other Spurs offseason content.
NihilisticTaters
Team needs: Stability at point guard and perimeter shooting off the bench. The Spurs started Sochan at point guard before switching back to Jones. San Antonio was outscored by 19.2 points per 100 possessions in the games Sochan started at point guard. The Spurs ranked 20th in 3-point percentage among reserves.
Future draft assets: The Spurs rank behind only Oklahoma City (they are tied with Utah) in first-round picks over the next seven years. San Antonio is owed unprotected first-round picks from Atlanta in 2025 and 2027. The Spurs can also swap with the Hawks in 2026. If the Raptors’ pick does not convey in 2024, it would remain top-6 protected in 2025 (and 2026). San Antonio is also owed a first-round pick from Charlotte (top-14 protected in 2025, else two second-round picks) and Chicago (top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027). San Antonio also has the right to swap firsts with Boston in 2028 (top-1 protected) and Dallas in 2030 (unprotected). The Spurs have 15 second-round picks available.
He has the video up on YT. I think he just states some obvious points that you’re probably already aware of as a fan. I watched and learnt nothing new.
6 Comments
Free agents: Cedi Osman, Sandro Mamukelashvili (R), Dominick Barlow (R) and David Duke Jr. (R)
State of the roster: Victor Wembanyama put together one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, but despite the emergence of a top-15 player, the Spurs finished tied for their third-fewest wins in a season in franchise history. The youngest roster in the NBA (nine players under 23) ranked ninth in the fewest number of games missed due to injury and used only 22 different starting lineups this season. For comparison, the Memphis Grizzlies used 51 different starting lineups this season. The inexperience played a role in San Antonio’s 13-28 record in clutch games. The Spurs have 12 players under contract next season, and the clock to improve the roster started the night Wembanyama was drafted, not when the season ended on April 14. When Wembanyama was off the court, San Antonio allowed 117.3 points per 100 possessions compared to 111.2 when he was on the court. The Spurs were 3-8 in the games he did not play. “I don’t pretend to know what we’re going to do,” coach Gregg Popovich said in March. “We have a lot of possibilities ahead of us, whether it’s [having] money in the bank or draft picks or being creative tradewise. All those things are on the table. But aren’t they for every team? I don’t know why we’re any different. We’re just younger.” But the Spurs are not like every other team. They have a 20-year-old franchise player and nine tradable firsts in the next seven years.
Offseason finances: San Antonio is not like fellow rebuilding team Detroit when it comes to cap space. No player on the roster earns more than $30 million, but because of their high lottery picks, San Antonio has less than $20 million in room. Unless the Spurs are going to clear out significant salary, do not expect them to be a major player in free agency. If the Spurs have only their own first, the maximum room they can create is $24 million, which would mean waiving Devonte’ Graham and Charles Bassey. Graham’s $12.7 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on July 1. There is $2.85 million protected. Bassey ($2.5 million) becomes guaranteed on Aug. 1. The Spurs would have the $8 million room exception if they are a cap space team. If they operate above the cap, they will have the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and $4.7 million biannual exception.
Top front office priority: There are multiple questions the front office should ask this offseason. The first is what did this season teach us with Victor Wembanyama on the roster? San Antonio ranked in the top 10 of points allowed per 100 possessions with Wembanyama at center. Offensively, the Spurs struggled shooting the ball with Wembanyama at both power forward and center, shooting 34.7% on 3-pointers. The Spurs as a team ranked 28th in 3-point percentage and were 5-20 when they attempted at least 40 3-pointers. The second is which players on the current roster or in a trade complement him the best? The lineup of Wembanyama with Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson averaged 127.3 points per 100 possessions per Cleaning the Glass. Third, should San Antonio skip the steps in rebuilding and chase an All-Star type player, like Trae Young or perhaps Darius Garland, if either becomes available? That would represent a shift in philosophy in how San Antonio has constructed its roster dating back to Tim Duncan. The difference now is that San Antonio does not have another David Robinson to pair with Wembanyama. And finally, is taking a conservative approach a better strategy knowing the 2025 draft is stronger than the 2024 one? That would require buy-in from Wembanyama to be willing to spend another season at the bottom of the standings.
Extension candidate to watch: The Spurs extended Devin Vassell and Zach Collins this past year. This offseason there is no eligible player on a rookie-scale contract. The only two extension-eligible players are Osman (thru June 30) and Graham, who could be a roster casualty if the Spurs are looking to create cap space.
The headline is a bit deceptive as it’s not really proposing a path forward instead the article is just a summary of every eliminated teams’ current status. But I had ChatGPT summarize each section in ten words or less.
**State of the roster**: Spurs struggle despite rookie star; focus on roster improvement.
**Offseason finances**: Spurs limited in free agency due to salary cap constraints.
**Top front office priorities**: Assess Wembanyama’s impact, seek complementary players, consider trade for star.
**Extension candidates**: No rookie-scale contract extensions this offseason, roster adjustments possible.
**Team Needs**: Point guard consistency needed; improve bench perimeter shooting.
**Future draft assets**: Spurs hold significant draft assets; numerous first-round picks incoming.
Very accurate, very bland if you’ve absorbed any other Spurs offseason content.
Team needs: Stability at point guard and perimeter shooting off the bench. The Spurs started Sochan at point guard before switching back to Jones. San Antonio was outscored by 19.2 points per 100 possessions in the games Sochan started at point guard. The Spurs ranked 20th in 3-point percentage among reserves.
Future draft assets: The Spurs rank behind only Oklahoma City (they are tied with Utah) in first-round picks over the next seven years. San Antonio is owed unprotected first-round picks from Atlanta in 2025 and 2027. The Spurs can also swap with the Hawks in 2026. If the Raptors’ pick does not convey in 2024, it would remain top-6 protected in 2025 (and 2026). San Antonio is also owed a first-round pick from Charlotte (top-14 protected in 2025, else two second-round picks) and Chicago (top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027). San Antonio also has the right to swap firsts with Boston in 2028 (top-1 protected) and Dallas in 2030 (unprotected). The Spurs have 15 second-round picks available.
https://youtu.be/IIywtS3eE_8?si=Yn05RlXvMTirKuOT
He has the video up on YT. I think he just states some obvious points that you’re probably already aware of as a fan. I watched and learnt nothing new.