Spurs Cut Jon Elmore, Add Kendall Brown Before Hosting Kings

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Friday, October 16

The Spurs waived guard Jon Elmore on October 16 and added Kendall Brown to a training camp contract a day earlier, continuing to retool the roster four days before the regular-season opener against the Thunder. San Antonio hosts Sacramento tonight in its fourth preseason game, the last tune-up before games start counting.

Spurs Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

What roster move is new today?

San Antonio waived guard Jon Elmore on October 16, a day after signing Kendall Brown to a training camp contract. Hoops Rumors logged both moves as part of a wider wave of camp trims league-wide, and San Antonio's 18-man roster still has to come down before October 20.

Is anyone due back from injury tonight?

Julian Champagnie, Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson are all listed with an estimated return of October 16, tonight's date, though none has been confirmed as cleared to play. Tobias Harris, sidelined with a left calf issue, has an estimated return of October 20, the opener against the Thunder.

Where does Tobias Harris's calf stand?

Harris has been out with a left calf injury through camp and the preseason, and the estimated return attached to him is October 20, the regular-season opener against the Thunder. Nothing reported since has moved that date earlier or later.

What's actually on the line against Sacramento?

Little by the scoreboard. This is San Antonio's fourth preseason game and its last before the opener, against a Kings team that went 22-60 last season under new coach Doug Christie. The value is in reps: forward-spot minutes, injury returns to track, and a roster that still needs trimming.

How much more does the roster need to shrink before the opener?

San Antonio's listed roster runs 18 players deep, more than the 15 regular-season spots a team carries plus two-way slots. Elmore's waiving is one trim; more are plausible before the Thunder arrive on October 20, though none has been reported yet.

The verdictThe headline before the opener isn't a trade or a breakout line, it's attrition. Three regulars carry a return date tied to tonight's game, one more to October 20, and the roster still needs to shrink before it counts.

Did the Spurs waive anyone today?

Yes. San Antonio waived guard Jon Elmore on October 16, a day after signing Kendall Brown to a training camp contract.

When is Tobias Harris expected back?

His estimated return is October 20, the regular-season opener against the Thunder, though that date has not been updated since it was first listed.

By the Spurs Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.