ESPN Casts Doubt on Spurs' Roster Around Victor Wembanyama

The irony of the San Antonio Spurs' situation is that Victor Wembanyama has to hold up his end of the bargain.

Since his arrival in 2023, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman has taken the NBA by storm. His generational potential on defense is palpable, but a lack of team success and a season-ending injury have kept him from earning the one award he's been the supposed frontrunner for.

Next season, assuming he remains healthy, Wembanyama will make a run at his first Defensive Player of the Year nod. ESPN is sold on that; it isn't as enthused about the Spurs collectively.

Games with 8+ BLK in the past two seasons:

8 — Victor Wembanyama
4 — the rest of the NBA combined

He’s in his own universe. @statmuse pic.twitter.com/pZGiCQhQKD
— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) August 28, 2025

ESPN Casts Doubt on Spurs' Roster

In its recent league-wide analysis, ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote about San Antonio's heightened expectations next season.

"As great as Wembanyama is," the site began, "this Spurs roster still feels like it's being formed rather than a finished product. That begins with the guard trio of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper."

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper dribbles the ball against the Utah Jazz during the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

All three of the Spurs' young guards have different niches to fill. Fox, who recently signed a four-year maximum contract extension in San Antonio, will serve as Wembanyama's No. 2 option while Castle and Harper hash it out for the remaining spot in the starting lineup.

Considering seniority, it goes to Harper. But there is a case to be made in rebuttal.

"It's one of the biggest questions people around the league have about any team," ESPN continued, "given what it could mean for how the Spurs will shape the roster moving forward."

San Antonio has ample time to figure out its rotations under first-year head coach Mitch Johnson. Achieving a record far greater than the previous two seasons is not out of the question — case in point, Wembanyama holding up his end of the bargain in his first healthy, non-rookie season — but ESPN wasn't interested in buying Spurs stock at this point of the offseason.

Not because of the talent, but because of the unknowns.

"Wembanyama could of course surpass this number based on his own brilliance alone," the site concluded, "but there are enough question marks in San Antonio that sticking with the under feels like the safe choice."

Can Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle Play Together? Two Things to Watch

Spurs Become Title Sponsor for Austin International Half Marathon

What's Next for San Antonio Spurs, Project Marvel?

NBA Trade Idea Sends Spurs' Stephon Castle to Warriors

ESPN Casts Doubt on Spurs' Roster

Related Articles