The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of the NBA Summer League, but once the regular season starts, their rookies will be playing a much different role.
The San Antonio Spurs selected Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance 20th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, and then turned around and traded up into the first round again, nabbing Tarris Reed Jr. 26th overall, out of UConn.
Both players are expected to play smaller roles in their rookie season, but should serve to shore up the frontcourt. In his final season playing for Dan Hurley's Huskies, Reed averaged 14.7 points per game, serving as the team's leading scorer.
In his first two Summer League games, he's scored 12 points and 10, about on par with his college average. Once the regular season starts, however, that won't be the case.
How Tarris Reed Jr. Can Fit With Victor Wembanyama
Reed isn't expected to start anytime soon for San Antonio, but he's playing like someone who deserves a starting nod. Even with a decreased scoring load, he's an elite rebounder and physical defender.
That's exactly what the Spurs need. Between Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, the Spurs don't need Reed to pour in ten shots a game and try to score 20 points. Instead, they need someone to do the dirty work.
That might not be what most first-round picks want to hear about their NBA role, but Reed seems to be taking it in stride.
"If you're going to be out there with Victor and these other guys we have, you're not going to get a lot of shots," summed up Summer League coach Corliss Williamson. "So the way you impact the game is through your physicality, crashing the offensive glass. So just putting those little ideas in their head and trying to see if they can focus on those little details during a game."
Reed spent two seasons at Michigan before heading to UConn for his junior and senior seasons, so he's more experienced and polished than most rookies. While he could carry a bigger offensive load, he's leaned into being a high-level role player in the Summer League. It's exactly what the Spurs need from him.
Of course, in the Summer League, there is plenty of time for him to shine as a scorer, and he's looking to cement himself as a well-rounded player.
This is their time to do it," Williamson added. "So we try to allow them the freedom to do that as well, but also still understanding our core principles and what we're going to need once the season starts in the fall."
If Reed cracks the regular rotation to start the season, it'll be because of his defense, rebounding, and physicality. He's an efficient scorer at the rim, but that's far down on the Spurs' list of priorities.
