The 2026 NBA Draft is in the books, and it was an eventful two days for the San Antonio Spurs.
The San Antonio Spurs walked out of the 2026 NBA Draft with four players added, two from the first round and two from the second.
The Spurs added Kentucky's Jayden Quaintance with the 20th pick, and traded up to snag UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. at 26th overall after rerouting two second-rounders to the Denver Nuggets.
During the second round, on Wednesday night, the Spurs remained focused on the frontcourt, picking Duke forward Maliq Brown 44th overall. Before that, they landed Tennessee's Ja’Kobi Gillespie 42nd, adding a playmaking depth piece.
With the 2026 NBA Draft in the books, we can take a 10,000-foot view at all four moves the Spurs made.
Complete Spurs' Draft Grades
After marching all the way to the NBA Finals, it's safe to say that the Spurs are ahead of schedule. However, expectations can change throughout the season, and San Antonio is left with the bitter taste of defeat after losing to the New York Knicks.
All postseason long, even as the Spurs found success, the number of second-chance points allowed was an alarming trend. Luke Kornet took a step back in the postseason, and Victor Wembanyama's versatility ended up being a bit of an Achilles' Heel, as every time he stepped out of the paint, opponents were able to gobble up rebounds and score easy baskets.
Of course, no one the Spurs selected is expected to crack the starting lineup, at least not on opening night. However, the Spurs did manage to address their needs as reasonably expected and have already been touted as a winner of the draft.
Before the college season, Quaintance was expected to be a marquee player, in large part thanks to his defensive excellence. Knee injuries held him back in his second college season, tanking his draft stock. The Spurs have the ability to be patient with his development, and are aware that he might not make his debut until around Christmas, depending on whether he opts for surgery or not.
At his best, Quaintance should be a defensive-minded starter who allows Wembanyama to roam on both sides of the ball. At worst, he should be a high-level bench player next to Kornet and Keldon Johnson.
Reed, also, will be tasked with holding down the frontcourt, although he's more of a replacement than an addition.
In the regular season, the Spurs used a jumbo-garbage-time-lineup of Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk, and Mason Plumlee. Having not one, but three third-string centers limited the versatility at the end of the bench. The prevailing hope in San Antonio is that Reed will be able to replace that trio of players at a fraction of the cost.
Reed comes to San Antonio with four years of college under his belt, splitting time at Michigan and UConn. He's a proven winner and adept rebounder, although the expectation is that he won't see the court very often, provided everyone in front of him is able to stay healthy.
Finally, there are the two second-rounders: Gillespie and Brown.
Gillespie started his college career at Belmont before moving to Maryland, and then ending with the Volunteers. In his final season, he averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range.
He's undersized and doesn't project to be a reliable NBA defender, although he can get the hot hand rather easily and can score off the bounce, as well. Picked 42nd overall, the Spurs took a flier on a big-time scorer who could provide a punch off the bench.
Expect him to be a major scorer in Summer League!
Finally, 44th overall, the Spurs stayed in the frontcourt, picking up Brown from Duke. In his senior season, Brown averaged only 4.9 points, but was a force in the paint, averaging 5.2 rebounds, mostly off the bench.
In 2026, he was named both the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. The Spurs already have a physical, offensively raw forward on the roster in Carter Bryant, who is younger than Brown, although Brown's skillset suggests he will do the dirty work that some NBA players avoid.
In the second round, grit can get you pretty far, and Brown has that in spades.
While his offense might never turn around, the Spurs have made it clear that they plan to lean into a defense-first mentality.
"We had a type," said Brian Wright after the first round.
San Antonio doubled down on that in the second round.
Jayden Quaintance pick grade: B+, solid forward with injury concerns.
Terris Reed pick grade: B, reliable backup on an already-oversized team.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie pick grade: A-, might not pan out in the NBA, but has a high upside.
Maliq Brown pick grade: B+, hope the offense turns into something reliable.
