Carter Bryant Has to Turn Small Minutes Into Steady Ones

By the Spurs Nightly Desk · Monday, October 19

Bryant played 71 games as a rookie at 11.5 minutes and broke even by the plus-minus-style ratings. With his 2027-28 option exercised and Tobias Harris sidelined, this season is about proving the jump shot can hold up.

Carter Bryant of the Spurs — Carter Bryant. Photo: News 4 (WAOI) San Antonio, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What did Carter Bryant give the Spurs last season?

He appeared in 71 games at 11.5 minutes and averaged 4.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He shot 40.8% from the field and 71.4% at the line. It is a modest line, but he was a rookie on a 62-20 team that reached the Finals, and nobody asked him to carry anything.

What stands out in his advanced numbers?

His usage was 15.8% and his true shooting 52.6%, so he took few shots and made them at a below-average clip. His offensive rating was 109.1 against a team mark of 118.7. The best number is his 10.0% rebound rate for a young forward. His defensive rating was 108.4, a shade better than the Spurs' team 110.4.

Is the three-point shot good enough yet?

Not yet. He hit 33.5% on only 2.2 attempts a game. Devin Vassell made 38.4%, Julian Champagnie 38.1% and Harrison Barnes 38.8% last season, and that is the range a Spurs forward is measured against. Bryant does not need volume. He needs to make the open ones the defense gives him.

Does his role grow with Tobias Harris out?

There is room. Harris averaged 27.7 minutes last season, and he is out until a projected return on October 23, so he misses the opener against the Thunder. Bryant is healthy and not on the injury report. He scored 8 points against the Suns on October 14, his first box-score number of the preseason, which is a start rather than proof.

What does his contract say about the Spurs' patience?

It says they are comfortable waiting. Bryant earns $5.1M this season, and San Antonio exercised his 2027-28 option on October 17, a move Hoops Rumors reported. That year pays $5.4M, followed by $8.0M in 2028-29. The price is low enough that steady growth in a bench role would justify it.

The verdictBryant needs to be the forward who rebounds, defends and makes the open three at a rate the Spurs can trust. If the shot reaches the high 30s, the minutes will follow.

What were Carter Bryant's stats last season?

He averaged 4.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 11.5 minutes over 71 games. He shot 40.8% from the field and 33.5% from three.

How much does Carter Bryant make?

He is due $5.1M in 2026-27, $5.4M in 2027-28 and $8.0M in 2028-29. The Spurs exercised the 2027-28 option on October 17.

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.