Fresh off a 2026 NBA Finals appearance, the San Antonio Spurs spent the summer reshaping their roster around Victor Wembanyama. Julian Champagnie secured a three-year extension, while the front office added two first-round picks and Tobias Harris. Yet one of the offseason’s most unexpected Spurs storylines had little to do with basketball.
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Amid the unusual family drama surrounding the team, Lindy Waters III is now taking his career overseas, signing a deal to play in Beijing. “Former Warriors and Spurs wing Lindy Waters III is leaving the NBA to join the Beijing Ducks in the CBA,” Brett Siegel reported.
This summer, one of the Spurs’ play-by-play commentators was exposed for cheating on his girlfriend of six years with Lindy Waters III’s sister. As the summer comes to a close, the former is back with the organization, while the latter could not find a place in San Antonio.
Waters arrived in San Antonio after stops with Oklahoma City, Golden State and Detroit, but his first season with the Spurs became a limited one. The 28-year-old played 40 regular-season games, averaging 2.4 points and 0.7 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per contest. He shot 37.5% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range.
Waters appeared in nine playoff games as the Spurs pushed their way to the NBA Finals. Still, his minutes remained limited, and San Antonio’s offseason moves made it increasingly difficult to see where he would fit going forward.
San Antonio added Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. with its two first-round picks. The front office also brought Tobias Harris aboard in free agency, adding another veteran to a roster already built around a deep collection of young talent. The backcourt became even more crowded. David Jones Garcia remained on a two-way contract, while former Tennessee standout Ja’Kobi Gillespie joined the Spurs on another two-way deal. For Waters, that left fewer opportunities to earn a roster spot. His situation is a sharp contrast to where he stood two years ago.
In 2024, Waters opened his season in Golden State by making seven of his first 12 three-point attempts. Over his first 15 games, he shot 20-for-52 from deep while the Warriors jumped out to a 12-3 start. It was the glimpse of the potential that never panned out in the NBA. Now, the former Spurs star is headed to China.
The Beijing Shougang Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association announced the signing on September 15. The Ducks is also a familiar name, as they won three CBA championships during Stephon Marbury’s run with the club from 2012 through 2015.
His NBA options were also limited by his contract situation. Waters was not eligible for a two-way deal, which narrowed the number of available paths back onto an NBA roster. Then there was the off-court story that put his name in headlines for reasons unrelated to basketball.
San Antonio Spurs play-by-play broadcaster Jacob Tobey’s future with the franchise appeared uncertain in July after a series of Instagram Stories exposed allegations about his personal life. The posts were reportedly made by his then-girlfriend after she accessed his public social media account. They accused Tobey of cheating with Loren Waters, the sister of Spurs guard Lindy Waters III, and included photos that appeared to support the allegation.
The posts were deleted within minutes, but the story quickly spread across sports media. With Tobey’s position suddenly under scrutiny, questions followed about whether he would remain San Antonio’s voice for another season. And he is set to return to the booth for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Tobey also addressed the situation publicly, acknowledging that he had stepped away during the summer to deal with personal matters.
“I thank the Spurs for allowing me time to step away to sort out issues in my personal life,” Tobey wrote. “I understand that I will have to regain trust within the organization and across our community, a community where I will continue to be present with enthusiasm and passion. I believe I have the best job in the world and am thrilled to be able to continue as the team’s play-by-play announcer.”
The Spurs have opted to keep Tobey in the booth despite the attention surrounding the July incident. Lindy Waters was not accused of wrongdoing. The situation nevertheless became one of the more unusual stories connected to the Spurs during an offseason that had already brought major changes to the organization. It also added another layer to a summer that ultimately ended with Waters leaving San Antonio.