The San Antonio Spurs lost in the NBA Finals partly due to their inability to size up and hang with the New York Knicks’ physicality. This summer, they seemingly solved those problems by signing Tobias Harris and drafting Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed.
The Spurs already have a pretty filled-out rotation, with bench players like Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, Dylan Harper, and now Julian Champagnie all getting extended runs. Harris is expected to be a day-one starter, but both Quaintance and Reed will have to fight their way up the rotation. Add Carter Bryant to that category, too.
All three youngsters are brimming with potential. Reed is a proven winner at the college level and a four-year player, so he’s expected to crack the lineup right away. Quaintance, on the other hand, had both of his college seasons ravaged by injury. He’s expected to miss the first few months of the season. Once he returns, though, he should flash lottery-worthy talent.
Bryant is expected to take a leap this season, especially on offense. All three guys are on very cheap rookie contracts, so if the Spurs want more financial flexibility, giving them a bigger role and allowing them to push players out should be a priority.
Two established veterans come to mind.
Spurs Could Force Kornet and Johnson Into Smaller Roles
Last season, Johnson won Sixth Man of the Year, finally combining efficient shooting, a downhill attack, and solid rebounding. It was a well-deserved campaign.
Despite his hardware, there’s an easy argument that Harper was the better player off the bench, and Kornet was the most important reserve for the Spurs. Johnson had his role, but Harper is a more talented player, and Kornet finally gave the Spurs a reliable backup behind Victor Wembanyama.
Both Johnson and Kornet could see their key roles reduced, though.
Bryant is already a better defender than Johnson is, plus he shot 35.2 percent from deep in his final 30 regular-season games. If he continues to improve, he’ll steal Johnson’s bench role, which KJ already has to share with Champagnie now.
Reed is expected to play behind Kornet as the Spurs’ third center, although once Quaintance gets healthy, he could give Kornet a run for his money. He’s a better ball-handler and has shown flashes of being a capable shooter. Plus, his athleticism might lend itself to being a better defender.
Of course, Kornet has the experience and basketball IQ that comes with being an NBA veteran, but if everything goes according to plan, the rookie could apply some pressure before the trade deadline.
As the Spurs vie for a title this season, they should rely on steady, proven veterans. However, as they look to build a long-term winner, shedding salary wherever they can will be an inevitability.
Even after successful seasons, Johnson and Kornet are going to have to prove their value all over again.
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