The San Antonio Spurs roster will be noticeably younger and potentially significantly worse next season, especially after trading away All-Star Dejounte Murray. That decision pushes the team’s rebuild back several years and increases the chances of the San Antonio Spurs landing the number one pick in next year’s draft.
Of course, they’ll have to wait and see if they’ll get the first pick, but, in the meantime, there’s a lot of intriguing young talent on this team to focus on. In fact, two of the team’s youngest members could immediately join the starting lineup, while the San Antonio Spurs’ longest-tenured player may soon be traded. That leads to questions about who will start for the new-look Spurs. Based on that, let’s predict the team’s 2022–23 starting lineup.
San Antonio Spurs Point Guard: Josh Primo
No matter who the Spurs start at point guard, they’ll have a tough time filling the hole left by trading Murray, so they might as well start 19-year-old Josh Primo. At this point, Primo isn’t really a point guard, but he has the potential to be one, and that makes him all the more intriguing as a prospect.
While Tre Jones is much more of a traditional point guard and played well as a starter last season, he doesn’t project to be nearly as good as Primo. Therefore, it makes sense for the Spurs to go ahead and start Primo and see what he can become. At 6’6, with solid handles and good court vision, there’s at least a possibility that he can learn the position, similar to how Murray did.
Unlike Murray, he’s already a good shooter, and that, combined with improved playmaking, could eventually result in him being a terrific offensive player. That will take some time, but the Spurs can live with him occasionally struggling because it will likely improve their draft odds while also expediting Primo’s development.
San Antonio Spurs Shooting Guard: Devin Vassell
Devin Vassell began starting for the Spurs after Derrick White was traded last season and has played well in that new role. As a result, it’s a safe assumption that he’ll continue to start at shooting guard next season.
Moreover, with a lack of scoring options, Vassell really has a chance to expand his offensive game. In fact, he’ll likely be the second-best offensive player in the starting lineup. Having a player who averaged just 12.3 points per game last year as the second option might seem like a cause for concern. Fortunately, he’s a much better offensive player than he’s shown thus far, and he could realistically average around 18 points per game next year.
Actually, he averaged 17.8 points per game by bombing away from outside in the final seven games of the season, the play-in game included. He accomplished that by attempting a ridiculous 8.4 threes per game and hitting an outrageous 44% of those shots. That hot shooting obviously won’t continue, especially without the playmaking needed to set him up for open shots.
Having said that, Vassell’s shown the ability to shoot off the dribble and on the move, so he should be able to continue firing away from outside. Since the Spurs don’t have a lot of shooting, let alone above-average ones, Vassell will probably fill that role while also mixing in strong drives to the basket and pull-up jumpers to help diversify his scoring attack.
Defensively, Vassell will also play a big role and may be tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best wing every night. He’s more than capable of doing so, plus he’s a terrific help defender, whose knack for stealing and deflecting passes should help the Spurs get out in transition. Overall, Vassell is a safe bet to start and could prove to be the second most important player in the starting five.
San Antonio Spurs Small Forward: Keldon Johnson
With Murray gone, Keldon Johnson is now expected to be the team’s number one option, especially after signing a 4-year, $74 million extension. Johnson has done more than enough to warrant the extension, but it remains to be seen if he can handle being the Spurs’ go-to guy.
There will definitely be a learning curve, but Johnson displayed flashes of shot creation during the second half of last season. Now those skills will be on full display, and he could see a huge jump in his production as a result.
Actually, Johnson had a career year last season, and he could very well have another career year next season. That would be great news for the Spurs, who don’t have much in the way of offense on the roster but might be able to cobble something together if Johnson is better than expected.
For instance, he improved dramatically as a passer late last season by leveraging his frequent drives to the rack into easy layups for other players. It might not be enough to keep up with other teams, but more of that, in addition to upping his scoring average to more than 20 points per game, is a good start.
San Antonio Spurs Power Forward: Jeremy Sochan
The Spurs’ decision to select Jeremy Sochan ninth overall likely won’t fully pay off until they’re good again, given his ceiling is that of a high-level role player. Despite that, Sochan could still be an immediate contributor for the Spurs next season.
Although Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t have much of a track record of starting rookies, he hasn’t had many top 10 picks either. Nor has he coached a team so devoid of proven talent. As a result, Sochan’s defensive versatility could trump his inexperience and win Popovich over in training camp and during the preseason.
Given the Spurs’ lack of depth at power forward, Sochan should be considered the odds-on favorite to start, even if he’s only 19 years old. His unique skill set would be better utilized there since his switchability could help boost the team’s defense, while his underrated scoring and passing would certainly benefit the offense.
San Antonio Spurs Center: Jakob Poeltl
Last but not least, we have starting center, which happens to be the team’s biggest question mark. The answer depends heavily on whether the Spurs trade starting center Jakob Poeltl before the start of the season.
Trading him during the offseason could net them the most assets since he has only one year remaining on his contract. On the other hand, the Spurs could hold onto him and trade him during the season. They may get fewer assets by doing so, but he’d definitely help them compete, especially on defense. Based on the Spurs’ track record, I expect them to at least start the season with him.
The Spurs aren’t likely to be an offensive juggernaut, so being good on defense will go a long way towards keeping them competitive next season. In theory, that could hurt their lottery odds, but the Spurs likely won’t win many games next season, with or without Poeltl.
Despite that, his ability to shut down the paint, free up teammates with screens, and dominate on the offensive glass could keep the Spurs in games. Better yet, he’s a much improved offensive player who could increase his trade value by having more touches. Once Poeltl’s finally moved, Zach Collins could be promoted to starting center, which would be a downgrade.
He’s a good offensive player and has defensive potential, but injuries are always a concern. If everything goes according to plan, however, whoever starts at center for the team next year will just be a placeholder for projected number one overall pick Victor Wembanyama.
All in all, while there is definitely some uncertainty surrounding who will start for the Spurs, they do have some continuity and good young players. That will help them remain competitive, even if the Spurs don’t project to be good next season.