Whether you like it or not, the San Antonio Spurs have entered a new era. Led by superstar Victor Wembanyama, this team is young, very young. An injection of youth has given them life, though, and the mindset and goals have changed. Previously a lottery team, the Spurs are looking to quickly shift the narrative.
With the induction of a new star in De'Aaron Fox, a great deal of excellent draft selections, and a home run free agency class, the Spurs are ready to make the jump back into the playoffs. There is no denying that the new Spurs squad is capable of doing great things, not only now but in the future. However, some respected NBA general managers would beg to differ.
In a poll of every NBA general manager, only 20% of them believe that the Spurs will make the biggest standings jump in the league. Absolute nonsense. Unlike the Orlando Magic, who placed above the Spurs at 40% of the votes, the Spurs have only one way to go up, while the Magic have very little room to rise.
The Spurs jump is coming, and it is inevitable
It would take a stroke of impossibility for this new-look Spurs team to finish anywhere below the Play-In, and I am not even embellishing. When you look at the Spurs roster from top to bottom, there is no way that they could ultimately finish in the lottery once again.
The Spurs have everything you would want in a great regular-season team. They are excellent at the top with a generational superstar manning the ship and a top-10 point guard alongside him. Not to mention another rising star in Stephon Castle, who is projected to take a big leap forward in 2025-26. But it only gets better from there.
The Spurs' superpower will be their immense depth. From the underrated Devin Vassell to Sixth Man of the Year candidate Keldon Johnson, the Spurs are oozing with great role players. No matter what injury or absence strikes, the Spurs have a backup plan at every position. This depth will help them compete for all 82 games and throw haymakers all game long.
Even more important, the Spurs will have a top defense —a shared trait among the best regular-season teams. With Victor Wembanyama on the court, the Alamo City defense will be unstoppable on all fronts. This fact alone will allow them to beat any opponent and secure the much-needed close victories.
Regardless of how you look at it, San Antonio is ready, and they are coming in hot. You can't deny it any longer; they will make the playoffs and prove any of their doubts wrong this season. If they do in fact make the playoffs, that will be far and away the most significant jump for any NBA team, barring a miracle elsewhere. So, to the doubting NBA GMs, get ready to have your mind blown.