By the Numbers: San Antonio's Roster in Five Figures

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Thursday, September 24

San Antonio has not played a game this season, so the clearest read on this roster comes from payroll, last season's ratings and recent shooting trends. Five numbers below carry real weight; none of them settle who starts in October.

Spurs Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

How much room is left under the tax line?

San Antonio's payroll sits at $198.3 million against a $165.0 million cap and a $200.4 million tax figure — about $2.1 million of space left. That gap covers minor moves like Jayden Nunn's departure, but it does not fund a trade for name-brand help without moving money out first.

Is Wembanyama's bench scoring last season a real trend or a small sample?

Over his final five bench appearances last season, Wembanyama topped 20 points four times. That is a strong hit rate, but five games is not a role — last season's number reflects a stretch tied to extra minutes, not a permanent bench assignment for a franchise center.

Why did Fox's efficiency drop late in the season?

Fox's true shooting fell to 42.7 percent over his final 10 games last season, a 13.3-point drop from his season mark. The number shows a real efficiency decline; it does not say whether fatigue, shot selection or defense caused it, since no diagnosis appears in the reporting.

Did Johnson's shooting slip too?

Johnson's true shooting fell to 45.8 percent over his final 10 games last season, down 13.4 points from his season average. Two starters cooling off at the same time, right before a Finals run, is a trend worth tracking into camp — it does not prove a lasting decline for either player.

How good was San Antonio's team defense and offense last season, really?

San Antonio finished last season with a 118.7 offensive rating and a 110.4 defensive rating, for a net rating of 8.4 — the league's second-best mark. That number reflects 82 games of results; it says nothing about how this group performs with Nunn gone and six rookies now in the mix.

The verdictThese five numbers frame training camp — a payroll with a sliver of room, a shooting slump for two starters, and a defense that ranked among the league's best. None of them settle anything once games start in October.

Is Victor Wembanyama scoring more off the bench?

Last season he topped 20 points four times in his final five appearances as a reserve, though that covers only five games.

Are the Spurs over the NBA's luxury tax?

No. San Antonio carries a $198.3 million payroll — above the $165.0 million cap and below the $200.4 million tax number.