Category: Spurs News

Spurs get new logo design courtesy of NBA Paint

NBA Paint blessed the Spurs with a brand new logo after claiming the current one has “0 rootin and tootin energy.”

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The beloved San Antonio Spurs logo delivers what it promises. There’s a spur and the team’s name right there. What’s not to love? The team even pivoted away from the more colorful version of the logo in 2002, making things even more straightforward. Evidently the mastermind (or minds) behind the social media account NBA Paint decided there was room for improvement, however.

In a video explaining the problems with San Antonio’s current logo, a few aesthetic concerns were raised. First, NBA Paint claimed the normal Spurs logo doesn’t make it clear what sport the team even plays. Perhaps more jarring, the current version of the logo has “0 rootin and tootin energy,” a massive accusation. And one, evidently, that beckoned an equally massive change.

NBA Paint has transformed a number of teams’ logos, and this was San Antonio’s bite at the apple. We won’t spoil the surprise, though. You can check out NBA Paint’s entire transformation of the Spurs logo over on Instagram.

Spurs arena set to have new sponsor, sunsetting ‘AT&T Center’ name

The San Antonio Spurs’ longtime arena will have a new sponsor next season after a partnership with AT&T officially expired.

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The home arena for the San Antonio Spurs will have a new name as soon as this season, according to multiple reports. After 15 years as the AT&T Center, the facility will reportedly be called the Frost Bank Center. News 4 San Antonio reported the change isn’t official, but an announcement from the team could come in the next few days.

The Spurs famously played in the Alamodome from 1993 until 2002 before moving into their current arena. Originally called the SBC Center, AT&T took over as the building’s sponsor in 2006. That deal expired in 2021, ushering in the possibility of a new arena sponsor. Frost Bank is headquartered in San Antonio, and employs over five thousand people in the region. Frost Bank has previously sponsored the Spurs in other capacities reaching back to the club’s ABA days.

A new arena sponsor isn’t the only change coming to the franchise’s physical infrastructure. The Spurs are set to open a new $500 million practice facility, dubbed “The Rock at La Cantera.” The broader complex will be one of the most advanced in the entire NBA and should open later this summer.

Keldon Johnson pitched as Spurs’ next Manu Ginobili

Could Keldon Johnson be the San Antonio Spurs’ next Manu Ginobili?

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The San Antonio Spurs have one of the brightest futures in the NBA, and a lot of that has to do with their selection of Victor Wembanyama this summer. But on top of that, they have a great group of guys around him. They’re slated to roll out a starting lineup of Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama, and Zach Collins.

Where does that leave Keldon Johnson? Well, according to Jeph Duarte of Pounding the Rock, it could see him slip into the role Manu Ginobili once played for the Spurs – the super sixth-man role – that helped them win a couple of titles.

Duarte referenced Johnson’s words to Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News in which he said he’d be willing to come off the bench, stating that the forward could be super useful in that role.

“Bringing Keldon off the bench offers immediate leadership to the second unit and could shape a back-up squad that can elevate the Spurs while the starters rest,” Duarte wrote. “The 2014 Spurs title team was able to rest elders and manipulate line-ups because of their amazing bench.”

Johnson is coming off a solid season in San Antonio, and in a bench role, he could be a great scoring punch for the Spurs. He may be one of the best bench players in the league should he take on that tole.

If he sticks around long enough to help them win, and he comes off the bench doing it, Johnson’s role on the squad and sacrifices along the way would certainly mimic those of Ginobili.

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Jeremy Sochan listed as ‘weakest link’ in Spurs starting lineup

Jeremy Sochan was labeled the “weakest link” in the San Antonio Spurs starting lineup.

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The San Antonio Spurs‘ offseason was centered around the addition of rookie Victor Wembanyama, who they selected with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old has been hyped up more than any rookie since LeBron James in 2003, but he’s not the only player on the team.

San Antonio re-signed Tre Jones, who will likely start at the point guard spot, and Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson are two solid youngsters as well. Then there’s Jeremy Sochan, who just wrapped up his rookie year with the Spurs. According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, Sochan is the “weakest link” in the Spurs starting lineup.

Bailey didn’t have many bad things to say about Sochan, but he ranks last as he’s the least developed of the Spurs’ starters (outside of Wembanyama, who clearly has superstar potential).

“This lineup may have the most question marks of any in the exercise. The oldest players of the bunch are Jones and Johnson, both of whom are 23. Sochan is 20, and incoming rookie Wembanyama is 19.

“We already know a little bit about what Johnson and Vassell can do as scorers, so really any of the other three could be fair game here.

“Though he’s already shown potential as a multipositional defender who can distribute a little, we’ll go with Sochan.

“Even though he appears to have the potential to be a solid B to B-plus in plenty of areas of the game, he’s clearly not as far along as Jones as a playmaker, and Wembanyama’s impact on defense could be massive as early as Game 1,” Bailey wrote.

The one questionable factor from this is Bailey does not list Zach Collins in the starting lineup despite Gregg Popovich naming him the starting center at the end of this past year.

If he were in the lineup, Collins might be the weakest link, but without accounting for that, this makes sense.

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Report: Spurs sign rookie Sidy Cissoko to 3-year contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed second-round rookie Sidy Cissoko to a three-year contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Drafted with the 44th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Cissoko spent this past season with the G League Ignite. …

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The San Antonio Spurs have signed second-round rookie Sidy Cissoko to a three-year contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Drafted with the 44th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Cissoko spent this past season with the G League Ignite. However, Cissoko is from France, giving him a connection to Victor Wembanyama.

Cissoko put together an impressive showing in Summer League. While he didn’t shoot particularly well from the field, he was great in every other facet of the game. In five Summer League appearances, Cissoko averaged 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 36.0% from the field and 22.2% from behind the three-point line.

The rookie’s mix of ball-handling, playmaking, and crafty finishing was earning him early comparisons to Spurs legend Manu Ginobili.

He was also a force on the defensive side of the ball. Cissoko’s strong frame at 6-foot-7 allowed him to body smaller opponents and act as a wall on that end of the floor.

Adding him to the current Spurs core on a guaranteed deal is a huge win for San Antonio, but it comes at a cost.

With Cissoko’s standard deal and Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract, the Spurs now need to release or trade three players by Opening Night.

The Spurs currently have 18 players on the roster, and the slew of veterans they employ seem most likely to get the axe. Guys like Khem Birch and Devonte Graham could be waived, and even a youngster like Charles Bassey might find himself on the chopping block with Wembanyama, Zach Collins, and Sandro Mamukelashvili firmly in place.

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Report: Spurs sign Dominick Barlow to two-way contract

Report: Spurs sign Dominick Barlow to two-way contract

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The San Antonio Spurs are bringing back big man Dominick Barlow on a two-way contract for next season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Barlow spent this past season in San Antonio on a two-way, and the Spurs picked up his qualifying offer at the beginning of the summer, making him a restricted free agent.

The 20-year-old appeared in 28 games for the Spurs in his rookie season, playing 14.6 minutes per contest. He averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 53.5% from the field. However, in Summer League this year, Barlow was seriously impressive, to the point where some believed he should be elevated to a standard deal with San Antonio heading into next year.

In four Summer League appearances, Barlow averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 62.5% from the field.

The 6-foot-9 center looked comfortable on the court, and at times, he looked like one of those players who was simply too good for Summer League.

He may be a bit undersized for the center position, but his strong frame makes up for it, and alongside Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan, he provides the Spurs with another high-upside young big man.

If he can continue to improve on the defensive end, he could be a legitimate rotation guy for the Spurs moving forward. The fact that they were able to bring him back on a two-way contract instead of a standard NBA deal is impressive.

Barlow is still super young, and based on the talent he showed in Summer League, he should be able to carve out a long NBA career for himself.

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3 young two-way targets Spurs should pursue after Summer League

Here are three two-way targets for the San Antonio Spurs heading into next season.

As things stand, the San Antonio Spurs need to cut players. They have 17 guys on standard contracts, meaning they need to cut at least two, and maybe three, if they hope to bring Dominick Barlow back on a normal contract. But they do have two two-way slots left, which could be useful.

While the addition of Victor Wembanyama will undoubtedly raise the ceiling of the team, they are nowhere close to a title contender yet, meaning they should still be in the business of adding young talent. Bringing in youngsters on two-way deals would be a great way to do that, especially now that Summer League has come and gone.

Here are three young Summer League standouts who the Spurs should consider adding on a two-way contract.

Spurs new practice facility to be part of $500 million complex

The San Antonio Spurs’ new practice facility is going to be crazy.

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The San Antonio Spurs made a bunch of changes this summer. Drafting Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was their biggest change, but they made small ones, too. They re-signed core players and added veterans via various trades, bolstering their depth.

But roster adjustments aren’t the only changes San Antonio has made this summer. In addition to the rumblings about potentially moving into a downtown arena in the future, the Spurs are close to finishing a new practice facility that could be one of the most impressive in the NBA. It’s called The Rock at La Cantera, and it’s going to be incredible.

Tim Reynolds of AP wrote about the project, noting that it’s something RC Buford has been cooking up for a while.

“RC Buford has spent nearly a decade plotting this. He’s been all over the world, visiting 200 places, seeing what works for other teams. Ideas kept coming, not just from the basketball landscape, but from skiing and soccer and eSports and cycling and even Formula One. Hour after hour, day after day, he became more consumed by the idea and more immersed into how to make it reality.

“His task is almost done.

“The San Antonio Spurs — just in time for No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season — are about to get a new practice home, one that might be among the most advanced in the world,” Reynolds wrote.

The practice facility is going to be part of a $500 million complex.

“It’s called The Rock at La Cantera, which will host the Spurs’ soon-to-be-ready new facility as part of what will be a $500 million complex by the time all the building at the site is completed,” Reynolds wrote. “It’s not just a practice gym with a big locker room and some toys; it’s going to be part of what the team envisions as a “global center for excellence in human and athletic performance” — not to mention a massive commitment to the city of San Antonio.”

What do you think of the project?

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Stephen Curry puts Spurs’ Tim Duncan in his all-time NBA starting 5

Stephen Curry put San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan in his all-time NBA starting five.

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The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most successful organizations in the history of basketball. Victor Wembanyama has stolen the spotlight for the past few months, as the Spurs took him with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, but before him, there was Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who were also first-overall picks.

The two big men established themselves as some of the best players in NBA history, but Duncan took things to another level. He’s widely viewed as a top 10 player of all time, as he led the Spurs to five championships during his time with the organization.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry recently placed Duncan in his all-time starting lineup. (H/t BuzzFeed Celeb, SpursNationCP)

“Past or present? NBA players,” Curry said. “I would pick Shaquille O’Neal as my center, Tim Duncan as my power forward, [and] Larry Bird as my small forward. Am I on the team? Michael Jordan as my shooting guard. Late addition, I’m not taking Larry. I’m taking Kobe [Bryant] as my small forward. Jordan at my shooting guard. And Magic [Johnson] at point guard. I won’t be on the team.”

In his 19-year NBA career, Duncan was a 15-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA player, a 15-time All-Defensive player, a two-time MVP, and a three-time Finals MVP.

Curry left himself out of the starting lineup, instead choosing to include Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, wrapping up the lineup with a healthy mix of defense and scoring.

How many championships would this squad win?

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Evan Fournier trade should be ‘no-brainer’ for Spurs

Should the San Antonio Spurs make a trade for Evan Fournier?

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The San Antonio Spurs have made a bunch of moves this summer after finishing with a disappointing 22-60 record this past season. Their biggest move was selecting Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, but they’ve changed the roster in other ways, too.

San Antonio re-signed Tre Jones, Julian Champagnie, and Sandro Mamukelashvili and brought in Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens (who they waived), Reggie Bullock, and Cameron Payne in various different trades. They added a solid veteran presence around their young core, and the offseason isn’t even over yet. There could still be more moves for them to make moving forward.

One player who has been consistently linked to the Spurs is Evan Fournier, and Matt Guzman of  Inside the Spurs thinks the deal should be a “no-brainer” for San Antonio.

“Last season, Fournier averaged just 6.1 points on 30 percent shooting from 3, but the year prior he showed his potential, shooting near 40 percent to average 14.1 points a game,” Guzman wrote. “Perhaps the change of scenery would prove beneficial for the vet, who fell out of the Knicks’ rotation down the stretch last season.

“Plus, being able to add a veteran with the same French connection that Wembanyama has would be extremely beneficial for the 19-year-old’s development. That makes it seem like a no-brainer — at least on paper.

“And for now, that’s all that San Antonio has, so if an obviously beneficial trade is considered a “bold move,” then the Spurs should embrace it.”

Fournier’s French connection to Wembanyama makes this trade way too obvious for San Antonio not to consider it.

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