The San Antonio Spurs have built a roster that's seemingly ready to compete at the highest level. Victor Wembanyama is flanked by a [stellar and deep supporting cast](https://airalamo.com/dylan-harper-is-already-answering-questions-that-shouldn--have-been-asked-kon-knueppel-draft-bust), with veterans, up-and-comers, and a prime-year star joining forces to fuel a 33-16 record.
[If there's one decision](https://airalamo.com/mitch-johnson-spurs-latest-example-being-miles-ahead-curve) that the Spurs have come to regret about how they've chosen to build their roster, however, it's letting Sandro Mamukelashvili walk in free agency.
Mamukelashvili spent the better part of the past three seasons with San Antonio. He played just 11.2 minutes per game in 2024-25, however, and ultimately opted to sign with the Toronto Raptors in hopes of securing a larger role.
Mamukelashvili has done exactly that, playing 22.5 crucial minutes per game on a 30-21 Raptors side that depends heavily on his shooting.
The painful truth is that everything that he's given Toronto in 2025-26 would've helped San Antonio. To make matters worse, he signed a minimum contract with the Raptors that the Spurs could've easily matched at two years and less than $5.3 million.
Already in the midst of a solid season, Mamukelashvili has put the finishing touches on making the Spurs regret letting him walk with a stunning stretch of play.
Ex-Spurs sharpshooter Sandro Mamukelashvili thriving with the Raptors
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Mamukelashvili has scored at least 20 points in three of the Raptors' past seven games. He offered up 14 points and 12 rebounds in one of the four exceptions, and scored no fewer than eight points in any of the other three.
Mamukelashvili now has six 20-point games in 2025-26 compared to the one he registered in 2024-25—yet his surface-level surge in production isn't quite as surprising as it may seem.
Mamukelashvili is currently averaging 11.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.3 three-point field goals made in 22.5 minutes per game. That translates to 17.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 block, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
In addition to producing with impressive volume, Mamukelashvili has been remarkably efficient with a slash line of .527/.374/.750 and an eFG% of .610.
Sandro Mamukelashvili was always capable of more than Spurs gave him
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If those numbers seem like something of an outlier, know that they're actually down in some respects from his 2024-25 averages with the Spurs. He finished his last season in San Antonio at 20.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 3.2 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Unfortunately, Mamukelashvili simply never seemed to catch on with the Spurs to the point of being able to sustain a consistent role.
One simply can't help but wonder if Mamukelashvili could've helped a Spurs team that ranks No. 22 in three-point field goal percentage and a middling No. 14 in eFG%. He's an active screener, a strong passer, productive offensive rebounder, and competitive even if not elite defender who can get and stay hot as a scorer.
Unfortunately, the Spurs let Mamukelashvili walk for the minimum and will now have to watch as his career blossoms in Toronto.