The San Antonio Spurs are wasting no time building around Victor Wembanyama. With the new season about to begin, the franchise has secured three young players for the coming years. Importantly, it unveiled a starting lineup that puts its backcourt talent to the test. The financial commitment is significant.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
But the more immediate question is how Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant will fit into the team’s plans.
Spurs reporter Dusty Garza confirmed that the front office had exercised Castle’s fourth-year option, and the third-year options for Harper and Bryant. The decisions keep all three under contract through the 2027-28 season, with salaries of approximately $12.7 million, $13.6 million, and $5.4 million, respectively.
That amounts to roughly $31.7 million in combined salary.
While everyone has witnessed the talents of Harper and Castle, Garza expressed confidence in Bryant’s development. “Lots of people are expecting big things from Mr. Bryant this year. I don’t believe they’ll be disappointed,” he wrote on his X post.
“All three have been working their tushes off all summer. Now, we get to see that sweat pay off.” And the Spurs will now have more time to assess how they develop alongside Victor Wembanyama.
The contract decisions came as head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed his starting five for the season opener against Oklahoma City:
Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper. The lineup also reflects the team’s need to adjust with veteran Tobias Harris sidelined with a calf strain.
The financial commitment offers the Spurs continuity. But the lineup announcement is a more immediate test. Castle and Harper will have to share the floor with Fox. While Vassell and Wemby remain central to the team’s frontcourt plans.
Harper’s inclusion is particularly notable after his comments to GQ sparked discussion about his role. The young guard had pushed back against the idea of coming off the bench, saying, “That’s crazy. F*** no. I ain’t coming off no bench.” While the sophomore guard mentioned it in a light-hearted tone, it didn’t sit well across the league.
Carmelo Anthony later advised him to keep such comments behind closed doors. Harper played it down, but a starting role now gives him an opportunity to prove himself on the court.
Moreover, playing alongside Fox and Castle will require Harper to adjust to sharing ball-handling duties. All their guards can create offense. But the Spurs will need to establish boundaries and responsibilities to avoid crowding the same areas of the floor.
It’s really a test as they face the Western Conference’s toughest opponent in their opener.
Carter Bryant’s situation is different.
The 2025 No. 14 pick is expected to contribute from the wing and with Harris unavailable for opening stretch, he could even play meaningful minutes. The forward’s defensive ability could help the Spurs against larger perimeter threats.
He may not receive the same attention as Harper, but his development matters to a team trying to build depth around its franchise centerpiece.
Victor Wembanyama remains the player who ties the project together.
The Spurs dominant win over the Kings, a 126-97 win, offered another glimpse of the Frenchman’s impact. In the opening minutes of the game, he showcased coast to coast, leaving the crowd buzzing.
With a defensive brilliance against the Kings’ Domantas Sabonis, he carried the ball to the paint for a self-alley-oop off the backboard.
He recorded 14 points and 8 rebounds in just 17 minutes, showing how much the Spurs can gain when he controls the paint and creates opportunities at the other end.
The Spurs have secured its young core financially and given Harper an immediate opportunity to contribute. But the next step is making the combination work against regular-season competition.
The Spurs have invested in their future; now they need their young players to turn that commitment into results.