Everything looks great for the Spurs right now. It is all sunshine and rainbows. But as you should know very well, that is not how the NBA works. Disappointment is inevitable. No matter how optimistic the Spurs' trajectory looks in the offseason, once the ball hits the court, everything changes.
While the Spurs are expected to make a big leap in the 2025-26 season, there is no guarantee that it will happen. A locked-in top-six playoff seed is the goal, but this nightmare scenario depicts a frightening world where everything goes wrong.
De'Aaron Fox continues his struggles of last season
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Fresh off a massive payday and overwhelming commitment from the front office, newly acquired star point guard [De'Aaron Fox must return to glory](https://airalamo.com/deaaron-fox-immediately-faces-make-break-season-massive-deal). Averaging a mellow 19.7 points in his short stint, Fox did not play up to standard.
As the current co-star of Victor Wembanyama, Fox has no room for error. If the Spurs want to find any success next season, Fox has to improve. The veteran guard will be relied upon as a playmaker in clutch situations, and if he can't step up, then the Spurs will be left empty-handed. Wembanyama can only do so much and will garner the defense's complete attention, meaning it will be up to Fox to capitalize.
Without Fox playing at the top of his game, the Spurs will struggle to find shot-creation, much like they did last year. This, in turn, will lead to the Spurs once again struggling to find three-point opportunities and falling behind their competitors in high-powered shootouts. In a tight Western Conference, all it takes is a few missteps to enter catastrophe.
Victor Wembanyama misses extended time due to injury
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Above all, the Spurs' 13th-place finish in the Western Conference was primarily due to Wembanyama missing the second half of the season. His removal from the lineup completely shattered the Spurs' hopes and dreams. No matter how optimistic you may be, without Wembanyama, there would be no light at the end of the tunnel.
The big man is the heart and soul of both the franchise and the team; without him, they are a fraction of what they're supposed to be. Both the offense and defense heavily rely on Wembanyama to succeed. Without the Frenchman, the offense would lack dynamism and jump-shooting, while the defense would completely collapse.
Not to mention, it would deeply hurt Spurs fans if Wembanyama were yet again removed from the Defensive Player of the Year ballot. He should have had it last year, and it would be a shame if [the 65-game rule ruined](https://airalamo.com/just-one-thing-stop-victor-wembanyama-winning-defensive-player-year) another other-worldly block party year.
The Spurs miss the playoffs
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The catalyst of a brutal nightmare scenario would be encapsulated in the Spurs' missing the playoffs. Although the Spurs missed last season, the stakes and expectations are much higher. We can not accept anything that is not the postseason. Even if that means it comes by way of the Play-In, the Spurs need to be battling it out in a 7-game series.
Not just Spurs fans, but everyone is dying to watch Wembanyama take on the playoff court with an opportunity to advance. This team is built for it. They have all of the pieces to make it happen. If the Spurs can't get it done this year, San Antonio might run out of tissues. It would be a statewide tragedy.