The Big Question: Did San Antonio Do Enough to Close the Gap…

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Friday, October 2

San Antonio enters a second straight 62-20-caliber season with the same core that lost the 2026 Finals to New York four games to one. The only real summer additions sit at the bottom of the roster, which raises the question of whether continuity alone closes a gap decided by one series.

Spurs Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Why didn't the Spurs chase a bigger addition this summer?

Payroll totals $198.3 million, about $2.1 million below the $200.4 million tax threshold, so there was little room to add without moving salary out first. The front office stayed inside that margin: Malik Williams and Jon Elmore joined camp September 24, and R.J. Davis signed the next day, in a move hoopsrumors described as setting the roster. None of the three projects as a rotation piece.

Can the six rookies actually contribute, or are they ticketed for the bench?

Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, David Jones Garcia, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Taelon Peter and Jayden Quaintance have yet to play a competitive minute together, so there is no evidence either way. Quaintance is kept off the floor by a knee injury, aiming to return around December 1, which removes one name from the equation before the regular-season opener on October 20 against Oklahoma City.

Who starts next to Fox and Wembanyama in the backcourt?

Stephon Castle averaged 16.7 points and 7.4 assists last season entering year two, Devin Vassell shot 38.4 percent from three, and De'Aaron Fox posted 18.6 points a game, and all three return. Air Alamo has framed the debate as Fox versus Harper, tied to how much Wembanyama needs the ball, but no lineup has been tested yet this season.

Does Wembanyama need to carry an even heavier load than last season?

He averaged 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds last season and ranked third in the league in defensive rating, then saw his minutes climb sharply over the final three games of the year with a teammate sidelined, without his scoring rising to match. That pattern suggests he can absorb more responsibility without needing more shots, which matters if Fox or Castle miss time this season.

Is the Knicks rematch already the season's real target?

New York beat San Antonio in the 2026 Cup championship game and then again in the Finals, four games to one, after the Spurs had already upset Oklahoma City twice during that stretch. Every future meeting with either team now carries that weight, and the schedule has not yet set a date for the first one this season.

The verdictSan Antonio chose continuity over a swing move, betting that a fully healthy core closes a gap decided by one series before any new name has to prove itself. That bet pays off only if Wembanyama's workload jump holds, the rookies stay out of the rotation's way, and Quaintance's return lands close to schedule.

Did the Spurs make any major offseason additions?

No. The only new names on the roster are camp signees Malik Williams, R.J. Davis and Jon Elmore, with Davis signing September 25.

Is Victor Wembanyama playing more minutes this season?

Season minutes have not started yet at 0-0, but his minutes climbed sharply over the final stretch of last season with a teammate out, a trend worth watching once games begin.