The Spurs have made significant offseason additions, setting the stage for an intriguing starting lineup and rotation.
Projected Starting Lineup for the Spurs on Opening Night
The Spurs’ recent signings promise to shake up the rotation, potentially pushing previous contributors out. Here’s what some experts think:
Marilyn Dubinski: “I’d wager ten Monopoly bucks on Chris Paul, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, and Victor Wembanyama. Paul signed with the promise of starting, and Barnes likely waived his trade kicker with the same expectation. Vassell and Wembanyama are mainstays, and Sochan isn’t getting benched anytime soon.”
Mark Barrington: “Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama are givens. Harrison Barnes will start because he wasn’t brought in to sit on the bench. Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell round out the lineup, making it a one-big lineup with Victor at center. The second unit will likely include Zach Collins, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Stephon Castle, and Julian Champagnie unless more changes are made.”
Jesus Gomez: “The ideal win-now lineup would be Chris Paul, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama. Paul and Vassell handle the ball, Champagnie and Barnes space the floor, and Wembanyama does his thing. However, it’s hard to imagine Pop bringing Jeremy Sochan off the bench, so I expect Paul, Vassell, Sochan, Barnes, and Wembanyama to start.”
J.R. Wilco: “While Gomez’s idea of Champagnie in the starting five is appealing, I don’t think there’s much doubt. It’s Paul, Vassell, Sochan, Barnes, and Wembanyama on opening night. The real question is whether Stephon Castle’s Summer League performance will push him into the starting lineup.”
Players on the Outside Looking In
Dubinski: “Blake Wesley and, to a lesser extent, Malaki Branham, risk being left out. Branham could still be part of the second unit if he proves he can be an off-ball shooter. Otherwise, Popovich might bench him for lackadaisical play, giving Wesley and Sidy Cissoko a chance. Champagnie and Sandro Mamukelashvili will compete for backup forward minutes, while Charles Bassey will be the third-string center.”
Barrington: “It will be hard for Blake Wesley to find minutes due to his limited offensive ability. Branham will likely get most of the third-string guard rotation minutes. Sidy Cissoko isn’t likely to see more than garbage time until he develops beyond a dunking sideshow.”
Gomez: “Two of Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham, and Sidy Cissoko won’t get regular minutes. Wesley and Cissoko are the likely candidates to sit or play in Austin unless Wesley improves his outside shot. Julian Champagnie might see reduced minutes if Mamukelashvili excels and pushes Barnes and Sochan to small forward part-time, but for now, he seems safe.”
Wilco: “Branham and Wesley are probably on the bubble. Last season, it was often unclear what impact they were making. However, many players make significant leaps in their third season. I’d love to see Branham and Wesley force tough decisions due to their development.”
Young Free Agents the Spurs Could Have Targeted
Dubinski: “Gary Trent Jr. would have been a great addition for his outside shooting, but he signed with the Bucks. They could have also bolstered their big man depth, but options were limited. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Charles Bassey were likely the best choices, given their familiarity with the system and team chemistry.”
Barrington: “Precious Achiuwa would have been interesting, but his salary wouldn’t fit under the room exception. Isaac Okoro would have been a nice addition, but the Cavaliers likely would have matched any offer. Mamu and Bassey were probably the best feasible options given the cap situation.”
Gomez: “The desire for flashy reclamation projects like James Wiseman, Killian Hayes, or Aleksej Pokusevs
vski was tempting, but it was smarter to go for proven contributors like Mamu and Bassey.”
Wilco: “I’m happy with bringing back Mamukelashvili and Bassey. They know the system and add depth where we need it.”
Leave a Reply