The San Antonio Spurs have one of the more unique rosters in the NBA heading into the 2025-26 season. They have a group of players seemingly ready to compete in the postseason, and also some raw, undeveloped talents in the mix.
Advertisement
The superstar of the team, Victor Wembanyama, is entering his third season in the NBA. And he now has a slew of weapons to play alongside him. Veterans like De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, and Jordan McLaughlin provide much-needed experience for the roster.
In addition, they have Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and this year’s No. 2 pick, Dylan Harper, to add energy and spark. Having both youth and experience gives the Spurs a unique problem to manage. What will the identity of this team be?
NBA insider Brian Windhorst presented two approaches the Spurs could employ. And neither may be something that San Antonio fans want to hear.
“They need experience, ya know? Because they kind of got two different teams. They’ve got some veterans on their roster,” stated the analyst, mentioning Fox, Barnes, and McLaughlin as players who will bring that experience to what is mainly a young team.
The Spurs could rely on their experienced stars this season, allowing the young players to develop away from the spotlight. At the same time, Windhorst can’t help but notice the young talent in San Antonio and wonders if the organization might instead prioritize giving these future stars as much playing time as possible.
“You’re looking at committing to playing two very young guards. If you’re talking about the recipe for winning in the NBA, it’s not playing young guards,” Windy said, referring to Harper and Castle.
“To me, they’re going to have to walk the line a little bit between developing their young guys who they drafted to put next to Victor, and whether they actually want to win in a very highly competitive Western Conference,” added Windhorst.
This isn’t a completely new approach. The Spurs are shaping a roster similar to what the Golden State Warriors did in the mid-2010s.
The Warriors paired young stars like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green with experienced players such as Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut.
San Antonio is taking a comparable path by pairing Wembanyama, Castle, and Harper with veterans like Fox and Barnes. This balance allows the young core to develop while keeping the team competitive. It worked remarkably well for the Warriors, and if it clicks, the Spurs could follow a similar path to sustained success.
Windy also touched upon how much the Spurs value their young core. “The big thing with the Spurs is they’ve got three guards with Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and De’Aron Fox, and they’re gonna wanna play all three. They value those three guys,” he said.
Wembanyama, of course, despite being just 21, fits into both categories, the generational talent that he is. That said, Windhorst doesn’t expect the Spurs to climb the ranks too much in the West this season.
“I am a big believer in the Spurs’ future. I’m not sure that this is the year that they leap into the Top 6. But you know I’ve got a rule… No, no ceilings on Victor Wembanyama,” added Windy.
It’s hard to disagree with Windhorst on that front. The Spurs should be fun to watch, but competing in a conference that includes the Thunder, Timberwolves, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and a reformed Mavericks team will be a tough challenge.
Still, as Windhorst pointed out, Wembanyama is a game-changer. Perhaps in his third season, he will show just how magical his impact can be.
