Carter Bryant Offers Spurs Perfect Piece for the Future

The San Antonio Spurs will have choices to make in the future regarding their team-building around soon-to-be superstar Victor Wembanyama, mostly to do with the point guard position.

In the long-term, it could be the proven De’Aaron Fox, a speedster who helped revamp the Kings over the past decade. Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle offers a fine choice, too, as a defensive-minded player who’s catapulted on offense in recent years. Even still it could be the most recent No. 2 pick in Dylan Harper, who functioned as a downhill force for Rutgers and offers immense upside.

One thing the Spurs won’t need to ponder over will be their drafting and further development of forward Carter Bryant, who was the perfect piece to add in the core longterm.

At 6-foot-9, Bryant projects to be a mostly 3-and-D player at the NBA level, cashing in on triples from beyond the arc and playing stingy, multi-positional defense.

He played the very same role at Arizona, doing so in an extremely limited capacity, though his talent level still shone through. Across 37 games, he averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and one steal and block per game in just 19 minutes per contest, shooting 46% overall and 37% from three.

While Bryant has a ways to go in earning a sizable role in the NBA, the bones are there for a player who could frequent lineups with Wembanyama for the next decade. Bryant is long, finishes plays on offense with consistency and efficiency, and has some of the highest defensive upside in the class. With length and instincts, he should offer a point-of-attack defender who can clog lanes and block shots.

Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI: "Defensively, Bryant leverages his reported 7-foot wingspan well and moves with a high level of fluidity and speed for his size. He also has good natural instincts and provides versatility when it comes to defensive matchups. He can defend in space against wings, but still can struggle at times with quicker guards. Conversely, Bryant is strong enough to scale up and contain many frontcourt players in the post. He’s also a good shot blocker and rebounder, which adds to his intrigue as a defender."

With Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, Harper and more demanding on-ball reps stylistically, Bryant makes perfect sense as a player who can fill gaps on both ends.

The Spurs will roll out Harper, Bryant and more in the first Summer League game of the offseason, facing off against the Heat tomorrow, July 5 at 3:30 p.m. CT.