The Spurs Have Four Days Left to Debate, Not Decide

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Sunday, October 4

San Antonio's training camp group has not changed in more than a week, so the conversation has shifted from who is on the roster to how Mitch Johnson will use them. The loudest question is whether Dylan Harper or Carter Bryant gets the minutes next to Fox and Castle, with the answer starting to show on the floor in four days.

Spurs Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Has the roster actually changed this week?

No. The group has held steady since Jon Elmore and Malik Williams joined September 24 and Davis signed a day later. Six rookies — Harper, Carter Bryant, Gillespie, Quaintance, Peter and Jones Garcia — remain on the roster with no game log yet to show how minutes will split.

Is Harper or Bryant the answer next to Fox and Castle?

Air Alamo raised the tension October 3: starting Harper alongside Fox and Castle could slow Bryant's development. Harper has a case — last season, with a teammate out, his minutes jumped and he scored a career-high 25 points against the Knicks. Bryant is the one who still needs the reps to grow.

What role is still being settled behind Wembanyama?

Air Alamo's Cal Durrett flagged Tarris Reed Jr.'s rebounding and screen-setting on October 3 as a specialty that could ease Wembanyama's workload at center. Reed is a rookie with no NBA minutes yet, but a backup big who rebounds and sets a real screen is exactly what Wembanyama needs behind him.

When is the first game fans can actually watch?

San Antonio's exhibition slate opens October 8 at home against the Hawks, then away games at Phoenix on October 10 (ESPN2) and Utah on October 12, before a return match with the Suns on October 14. The regular season begins October 20 against the Thunder on NBC and Peacock.

Where does the salary cap situation stand?

San Antonio carries $198.3M in salary this season, about $2.1M below the $200.4M tax threshold. Fox's $49.8M extension leads the books, with Vassell, Johnson and Wembanyama all signed to deals that keep the core together without pushing the roster into the tax bracket for now.

The verdictThe names aren't changing before October 8; the minutes are. San Antonio's first real evidence on Harper, Bryant and the center rotation arrives in four days.

What is the Spurs' first preseason game?

San Antonio's first exhibition game is October 8 at home against the Hawks.

Which Spurs are banged up entering camp?

Jones Garcia is nursing a right ankle problem and hopes to be ready by October 8. Quaintance's right knee injury keeps him out until December 1.