The San Antonio Spurs have the most talented and deepest roster in the NBA, but are expected to lean into a combination of players that doesn't exactly have the best track record.
In terms of sheer talent and depth, the San Antonio Spurs are the best team in the NBA. This summer, they added Tobias Harris, didn't lose anyone major, and their young core of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper is all just going to get better.
De'Aaron Fox, too, is an All-Star-level player. Even though he doesn't fit in well with the Spurs' young backcourt, he's a talented player. The Spurs are expected to eventually trade him away, opening up a path for Harper to start, although there isn't really a rush.
For now, Harper will remain on the bench, and Fox will continue to be the starter. That doesn't mean that the youngster won't get an extended run.
Spurs to Use Guard Trio
In the NBA Finals, Harper proved that the Spurs can rely on him when games matter most. Fox fell short, although it's worth noting that he was playing through injury. If all three guys are healthy, Mitch Johnson will have to figure out how to divide minutes.
Last season, in limited action, the trio of Fox, Harper, and Castle had a -27.5 net rating when they shared the floor. However, as Harper and Castle have become better shooters, they are better equipped to share the floor with the veteran.
Add in Wembanyama, and the Spurs could have a new "death lineup."
"In the short term, Fox still needs to start, but Spurs coach Mitch Johnson must find ways to increase Harper’s reps, which is tricky," wrote The Athletic's Jared Weiss.
That could mean trotting out a triple-guard lineup to end close games.
"The easiest way for Johnson to maximize Harper’s usage is to close games with all three guards on the floor more often," Weiss added. "The development of Castle’s jumper is especially important to that effort. We saw how much better Castle became in the second half of last season when he started shooting league-average from 3. Harper, in turn, took off in March when he became nearly perfect from the corners."
Both Castle and Harper shot well above 40 percent from deep in the final 25 games of the season. That seems unsustainable, but if they can both be at least league-average and play off-ball while Fox drives and kicks, then the Spurs should have plenty of options.
Add Wemby's game-breaking offensive prowess, and there's no reason why that foursome can't be the best lineup in the NBA. Just add a shooter to round out that five-man setup.
