The Week Ahead: Two Looks Before the Real Clock Starts

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Friday, October 2

San Antonio opens its preseason slate at home against Atlanta on October 8, then travels to face Phoenix two days later on ESPN2. The bigger story is whether David Jones Garcia is back on the floor for the first one.

Spurs Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

What's actually on the schedule this week?

San Antonio plays twice: October 8 at home against the Hawks, then October 10 at the Suns, broadcast on ESPN2. Both are preseason games, so rotations and minutes will matter more than the final score. The next look after that comes at the Jazz on October 12, with the regular-season opener against the Thunder still two weeks out, on October 20.

Is David Jones Garcia back for the Hawks game?

Garcia has been working back from a right ankle issue, and his target return is October 8, the same date as the Hawks game. That timeline lines up, but nothing has been confirmed beyond the target date itself. His next game would be the first real test of that ankle under game speed.

Who else is out, and for how long?

Jayden Quaintance is out with a right knee injury, with an estimated return in December, well past this week's two games. That removes one more body from an already thin frontcourt rotation behind Wembanyama and Kornet. Nothing new has been reported on his recovery beyond the original timetable.

Which game matters more, Atlanta or Phoenix?

The Hawks game carries more weight. It is the first live look at Wembanyama's minutes and the Fox-Castle backcourt together, and the first chance to see whether Garcia's ankle holds up under real contact. Phoenix, two days later on national television, will say more about depth once the starters' workload is already known.

When might fans see the rookie class on the floor?

Harper, Bryant, Jones Garcia, Gillespie, Peter and Quaintance are all on the roster, but this week's two preseason games are the first chance for any of them to log real minutes. Jones Garcia's ankle and Quaintance's knee already limit two of the six from playing right away, leaving Harper, Bryant, Gillespie and Peter as the group most likely to see the floor first.

The verdictThe record is still 0-0, but these two preseason games will answer real questions: whether Jones Garcia's ankle holds, and whether the group built around Wembanyama looks ready to pick up where it left off after reaching the Finals last season.

What is San Antonio's next game?

San Antonio plays the Hawks at home on October 8, then travels to face the Suns on October 10, broadcast on ESPN2.

Is David Jones Garcia playing in the next game?

His target return is October 8, the same day as the Hawks game, but that has not been confirmed as official availability.