It’s September, which means that NBA training camps are right around the corner. The Mavericks and the other 29 teams will start workouts near the end of this month.
It’s time to get primed for the season. To that end, Mavs.com presents its Southwest Division preview, with help from beat writers from around the division.
Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle, Michael Wallace of Grind City Media, Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News and Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com will fill you in on all that you need to know about their teams in advance of the 2025-26 season.
We’ll give you a team each day this week. First up is the San Antonio Spurs.
@ESefko
By Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News
QUESTION: It’s a new season full of hope. What are the top reasons why optimism is brimming over the edge for your team?
McDONALD: The top three reasons for optimism in Spurs Land: Victor Wembanyama, Victor Wembanyama and, of course, Victor Wembanyama. The French star has been officially cleared to resume basketball activities after a blood clot issue nuked the remainder of his second NBA season last February. A full season of De’Aaron Fox, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, another leap forward from reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and the arrival of another ballyhooed rookie in Dylan Harper will help, but the Spurs’ climb this season mostly hinges on Wembanyama returning to the floor and playing like himself.
QUESTION: Flip the coin. This season goes haywire if . . .
McDONALD: Injuries strike again, particularly as it pertains to the aforementioned Wembanyama. Outside of that, the Spurs do have a new full-time head coach in Mitch Johnson, who formally takes over from Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich. Johnson guided the Spurs to a 34-48 finish after Popovich’s stroke last season, but there could still be a learning curve for the 38-year-old Johnson in his first full campaign at the helm.
QUESTION: Some of the offseason moves are clearly major-impact moves. Catch us up on the biggest moves and, if appropriate, give us an under-the-radar move or two that could have a big effect on your team.
McDONALD: The Spurs boasted one of the league’s best defenses with Wembanyama on the floor last season. When he was off the floor – even for a few minutes – Spurs opponents quickly found the layup line open at the rim. The club’s biggest offseason moves were made to address that issue with the signing of free agent big man Luke Kornet from Boston and, to a lesser extent, the trade of Kelly Olynyk from Washington. Only three other players in the NBA last season ranked better than Kornet in terms of rim defense. Wembanyama was one of them.
QUESTION: The schedule just came out. What are the odds that your team can get off to a jackrabbit start? Or, perhaps, is the schedule backloaded for a potential momentum-building run toward the playoffs late in the season? How much time will the team need to build chemistry?
McDONALD: The schedule-makers set the Spurs up with a decent chance to make a quick impression in the upcoming season, with only six of their first 17 games coming against 2024-25 playoff foes. Only one of those – the Golden State Warriors – advanced past the first round. The Spurs’ annual February rodeo road trip isn’t as daunting as it could be, broken up by the All-Star game and a pair of “home” games in Austin. Down the stretch, the Spurs face a span of 8 of 11 on the road in March and early April before closing with a four-game homestand that could make or break their chances of playing past the end of the regular season.
QUESTION: What constitutes a successful season for your team?
McDONALD: Entering Year 3 of the Wemby era, Spurs fans are champing at the bit to end a six-season playoff drought that rates as the longest in franchise history. If everything goes right, the Spurs have a chance to get there. But they will also need a lot to go wrong for a handful of other stout contenders in a stacked Western Conference in order to break into the playoff field. If by season’s end the Spurs have pushed their win total into the 40s and are at least competitive for a play-in bid, it will be considered a success.
QUESTION: The bottom line: If you look into the crystal ball to April, what are you seeing?
McDONALD: The Spurs won 34 games last season, a 12-game improvement compared to the season before – and that was with Wembanyama missing nearly half the season. Given a season of full health for their most important player, the Spurs could make a similar improvement in the win-loss record. Whether that will be enough to propel Wembanyama to his first NBA postseason remains to be seen.
Follow Jeff McDonald on X: @JMcDonald_SAEN