Spurs Roster Crunch: 'Good Problem'? Who's Next to Go?
"Good problems" aren't too easy to come by in the NBA, especially for the San Antonio Spurs — a team that finished with a bottom-3 record league-wide.
More often than not, a team's issues stem from a lack of starpower, a newbie coach with little to no "winning" experience or even just a lack of will.
The Spurs don't have any of those issues — presumably not anymore, at least — assuming Wembanyama lives up to the hype he's received in his first season. Gregg Popovich recently re-signed on a five-year deal to make him the wealthiest coach in the NBA once again, while Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson are set to show off their chemistry come October.
The lack of will isn't a problem either. A majority of the Spurs' roster is made up of young, hungry guys that aren't afraid of a challenge and who want to win.
But that's where the "good problem" comes in. Currently, San Antonio has more players on its roster than it has spots, raising the question of who is and isn't going to be suiting up for the Silver & Black next season.
"Teams don’t need to get to 15 roster players until prior to the start of the regular season," HoopsHype wrote of the Spurs' roster crunch. "[San Antonio] has a lot of very good players that ... are very much available and could get cut if they’re not moved."
Lamar Stevens was the initial casualty of this problem, as the Spurs waived him July 17 before he got a chance to play in San Antonio. Romeo Langford was the second to be let go, and Khem Birch is another strong candidate to meet a similar fate, though as the site mentioned, the Spurs still have time to make that decision.
So where does that leave them?
Besides Birch, there are a few other players that could end up with different teams for the regular season, one being Reggie Bullock — San Antonio's recent trade acquisition as part of a three-team deal that sent Grant Williams to Dallas.
Bullock does have experience and a strong 3-point shot, but his age could also work against him, especially if he isn't seen as the strong leader that Popovich would deem important for his team.
Either way, San Antonio will eventually need to cut down its roster before the start of the regular season, and if it isn't Bullock or Birch, then it has some decisions to make.
There is still time, but that's certainly something to continue to watch for.
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