To help us get through the NBA’s late-summer blues, we’re taking a look back at teams across the league and how their offseason went.
San Antonio Spurs
Main additions:
Chris Paul
Harrison Barnes
Stephon Castle
Main losses:
Cedi Osman
Charles Bassey
Offseason review and outlook for the 2024-25 season:
The San Antonio Spurs entered this offseason with a very clear and obvious goal: improve the talent around Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama is everything he was expected to be and should be a dominant force in the league for years to come. The Spurs didn’t rush to be too good too quickly, which allowed Wembanyama to acclimate to the NBA last season. They’re not going all out yet, continuing to slow their rise, but steady improvement is important. With that goal in mind, I think the Spurs had a wonderful offseason.
Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes are exactly the type of veterans you want around your young star. Both will impart wisdom on the game, how to prepare, how to take care of your body, all the little things that will help Wemby take the next steps. Chris Paul in particular is a great addition for the Spurs, who spent most of last season with an offense that lacked direction. A team that desperately needs a point guard has one. The other benefit of both of these signings is that Wemby can more than make up for CP3 and Barnes’ lack of defensive ability.
Spurs have also managed to retain their core of young players around Wemby, with Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Julian Chmpagnie and Sidy Cissoko. Spurs have also added Stephon Castle in the draft, who will also benefit from learning under Paul.
The future looks bright for the Spurs, but it will likely be another up-and-down season. The Spurs aren’t aiming for an eighth-place finish, they’re gearing up for future titles. They’ll hold their form for a bit longer, but should still be good enough to be around the play-in area.
Why we hate them:
Because it’s just not fair that the Spurs win the lottery every time a generational big man becomes available.
