How This Thing Could Change San Antonio Spurs Forever

How This Thing Could Change San Antonio Spurs Forever

The recent addition of Lindy Waters III to the San Antonio Spurs may appear like a minor move on the surface, especially in an offseason crowded with superstar trades and dramatic realignments, but it is exactly the kind of strategic signing that could quietly signal a shift in the Spurs trajectory. Waters, known for his consistent outside shooting and disciplined offball movement, brings with him an offensive skill set that has been quietly effective over the last four seasons. His three-point shooting average of 36.6% is more than just a statistic. It represents a reliable offensive option that the Spurs have sorely lacked on a consistent basis. In an era where floor spacing is the foundation of successful offensive schemes, the acquisition of a sharpshooter who understands his role and executes efficiently can be pivotal in unlocking offensive versatility. San Antonio, under the continued leadership of Greg Papovic’s coaching tree, is clearly attempting to shape a roster that balances youthful explosiveness with seasoned role players, and Waters fits the latter mold with subtle perfection. What makes Lindy Waters such an interesting addition is his ability to blend into systems without demanding touches. His strengths lie not only in catch and shoot scenarios, but also in his ability to read floor spacing and reposition himself during broken plays. This might seem minor in comparison to volume scores, but when paired with young dynamic talents like Victor Wanyama and Jeremy So, it has the potential to create layers within the offense. When Banyama is projected to take a giant leap in his sophomore season, and every bit of space he gets in the paint is magnified by shooters on the perimeter who can make defenders pay for collapsing. Waters gravity might not draw double teams, but he forces defenders to think twice about leaving him open in the corners, which in turn opens up driving lanes and interior mismatches. The Spurs, who last season often looked congested in the half court, now have one more piece that can stretch defenses thin, allowing for a more fluid offensive attack. From a roster composition standpoint, this move reflects San Antonio’s shift toward a more modern, spacing conscious identity. Their current lineup is an evolving puzzle made up of young assets still finding their NBA footing. At the center of that puzzle stands Victor Webanyama, whose unicorn-like abilities stretch the boundaries of what’s expected from a seven-footer. The Spurs are building around him with a core that includes Devin Vassel, a two-way wing who’s shown tremendous growth. Jeremy Soken, a positionless forward with elite defensive instincts, and Trey Jones, a traditional point guard with poise, but lacking in perimeter shooting. Lindy Waters enters this dynamic as a low usage, high efficiency option who provides something this team lacks. Dependable outside shooting from a veteran who doesn’t need to dominate the ball. Inserting waters into various lineup combinations means the Spurs can deploy lineups that better suit modern offensive schemes, particularly those that prioritize ball movement and quick release threes. Another layer to this addition is the locker room culture Waters brings with him. Coming from the Oklahoma City Thunder, a franchise that mirrors the Spurs in terms of player development and culture first philosophy, Waters is already accustomed to systems that prioritize fundamentals over Flash. His humility and willingness to play his role without ego could serve as a guiding model for some of the younger Spurs who are still defining their NBA identities. The Spurs have long prided themselves on maintaining a balanced and professional locker room. And having veterans like Waters who understand their niche can help stabilize a group that by nature of their age is susceptible to growing pains. It is this cultural fit that cannot be overstated. A talented but unbalanced locker room can derail development timelines. With Lindy Waters, the Spurs get someone who strengthens their identity both on and off the floor. Statistically, Lindy Waters has hovered around modest counting numbers, never averaging more than six points per game. But analytics point to a player who impacts the game in nuanced ways. His effective field goal percentage and catch and shoot metrics put him in the upper tier of role players when it comes to three-point efficiency per touch. These are the types of players that don’t necessarily win games on their own, but become essential in playoff context when spacing Titans. and every possession is a chess match. If the Spurs timeline accelerates with Webanyama becoming a top 10 player faster than expected, having shooters like Waters who can space the floor without taking away developmental touches from the stars becomes critical. He might not average double digits in scoring, but his shooting will likely impact game flow and help young stars see cleaner looks. That alone adds value beyond his contract. Welcome to Hoops Insider, where every dribble, every trade, and every locker room whisper becomes headline news. The NBA never sleeps and neither do we. Let’s dive into the madness. With the second pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Dylan Harper from Rutgers University. The 19-year-old Dylan Harper out of Rutgers. This is of course a family and a team as they Bailey cheers him on that knows this process and stage well. Dylan’s mother, Maria, who he is very close with, coached him from kindergarten to high school. His brother has NBA experience currently with the Detroit Pistons. And of course, his father, Ron, was the eighth pick in 1986. He played 15 seasons in the NBA and won five championships. Now, Dylan set the Ruters record for total points for a freshman. As again, he makes his way over to his teammate. We heard him earlier with Monica Mcnut saying how much it meant that they were able to share this night together. Two teammates hopeful to hear their name called. A hug for agent Bill Duffy as well. But Jay, you see him as probably the best pick and roll guard in the draft. Is that right? Yeah. A lefty who’s the best pick and roll guard in this draft in my view. A three-level scorer with tremendous body control. A terrific finisher at the rim through contact. He shot 67% at the rim, but he was also excellent as a pick and roll ball handler. Really good in transition. He’s just a polished offensive player with really good footwork, but when he gets into any sort of screen roll situation, he attacks the secondary defender and even goes after the tertiary defender and gets all the way to the rim. He can finish with his right or his left hand. He gets fouled and he gets to the foul line. He plays with pace. He’s patient and he makes really good reads. He gets an advantage and then he keeps it and takes advantage of it. He’s an excellent playmaker once he gets into the lane. He can pass it even though 75% of his buckets were unassisted. You know, he found Ace Bailey a lot, but he’s a good passer. He just needs to improve as a shooter. But 17 games, he had 20 or more. His physicality a big part of that and had 35 points in two straight games. He was the only player in the country to do that and the only player in the last 20 years in a major conference. Analyzing the Spurs current roster through the lens of this addition, it’s clear that the front office is preparing to support WebMyama’s growth with deliberate personnel decisions. The front court is set with Wemi, Zack Collins, and So rotating between the four and five spots, giving San Antonio length, rim protection, and switchability. Where they have struggled is finding balance in the back court. Trey Jones is a steady ball handler but does not provide enough offensive firepower to stretch defenses. Malaki Brham and Blake Wesley have shown flashes of offensive upside, but both are inconsistent, particularly when it comes to perimeter shooting. This is where Waters fits in almost immediately. His presence on the wing allows San Antonio to run bench units with more spacing or even to use him in closing lineups if shooting is required. The Spurs biggest issue last season was not effort, but execution. Too many possessions ended in poor shot selection or clogged driving lanes. Adding someone who instinctively knows where to be and how to help others find space is an underrated form of basketball IQ that rarely gets spotlighted. Beyond his shooting, Lindy Waters brings defensive fundamentals that won’t wow on the highlight reel, but remain solid. He stays in front of his man, doesn’t over gamble, and understands rotational schemes. While he’s not an elite perimeter stopper, his defensive positioning and effort can be critical for a team looking to establish its defensive identity. When paired with someone like Soan, who thrives on chaos and switching, Waters offers a stabilizing counterpart. This kind of balance is key in developing the defensive core of a young team. The Spurs have always leaned on team defense rather than individual heroics, and Waters fits that mold well. His ability to stay disciplined allows more athletic teammates to take risks. Knowing there’s someone behind them who understands defensive rotations. These intangible qualities are hard to quantify, but make a tangible difference over an 82game season. In terms of roster construction, the Spurs now have the flexibility to experiment with various lineups. A potential small ball unit with Sochan at the five, Wanyama at the four, and shooters like Waters and Vasel surrounding a traditional point guard gives the Spurs the chance to run an offense focused on speed and spacing. On the other end, a larger unit with Waters playing a more traditional two guard role allows them to lean into size and physicality. This flexibility becomes more important in today’s NBA where positional fluidity is a growing trend. With Waters in the mix, the Spurs gain a plug-and-play piece that can be moved up or down the rotation based on need without disrupting rhythm or chemistry. Yeah.

How This Thing Could Change San Antonio Spurs Forever