It feels like we’ve said this every offseason of the Victor Wembanyama era, but this summer is a big one for the San Antonio Spurs. After the midseason De’Aaron Fox trade, the Spurs have made a clear step toward contention. With two lottery picks and plenty of trade assets, San Antonio has a real opportunity to turn this roster into one capable of making the playoffs next season. They have some big decisions ahead of them to do so.
The decisions they make this summer may lay the groundwork for what the Spurs look like for years to come. Contract extensions loom large, a new core player or two could be added in the draft, and this summer seems like it could be headlined by a few NBA stars hitting the trade market. These are the biggest decisions San Antonio has to make this offseason.
De’Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan’s contract extensions
Two of the Spurs’ key players are extension-eligible this offseason. The newly acquired Fox could ink a 4-year, $229 million contract extension. Fox has expressed interest in re-upping with the Spurs, and it’s unlikely San Antonio would have pulled the trigger on a trade without the intention to sign him long-term. The question is, will it be a max extension?
Several NBA stars have taken less than the max to give their teams long-term financial flexibility. Giannis Antetokounmpo did it in 2023 by not waiting for the supermax, Jalen Brunson took less for the Knicks, and the Clippers got Kawhi Leonard on a discount extension. Fox is a franchise-changing player and an ideal running mate for Wembanyama, but is he a max player in a league filled with teams hamstrung by the second salary cap apron? Signing him to a max contract will financially restrict the Spurs in the long run.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Sochan is eligible for the rookie-scale extension this summer. The former 9th-overall pick is coming off a season where he shot a career-high 53.5% from the field on a steady diet of shots around the rim, averaging 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds while playing good defense. He looked like an improved player despite playing an inconsistent role and only appearing in 54 games due to nagging injuries.
Sochan has good chemistry with Wembanyama, and finding good wing defenders is hard to come by. Still, his lack of shooting clogs the paint when he is on the floor, which is less than ideal for a team building around Wemby, Fox, and Stephon Castle. That may hurt him in contract negotiations. Devin Vassell signed a rookie-scale extension that earns him $27 million a year. You could tell me Sochan’s deal nets him anywhere from $15-$20M per year, and I wouldn’t be surprised.
If Sochan and the Spurs don’t agree to an extension, he’ll become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2026. Whether or not he signs an extension this summer could indicate how San Antonio feels about his fit with the team long term.
Who will be the head coach?
In an ideal world, Gregg Popovich would be completely healthy and return to the helm of the Spurs. After another health scare this week, that seems to be less and less likely. There is a major question mark at the head coach position for San Antonio.
Mitch Johnson was put in a tough position as acting head coach to finish the season. He dealt with an imperfect roster and a handful of untimely injuries. It’s pretty hard to judge whether or not he’s a good NBA head coach. That said, there are a LOT of solid coaches on the open market.
Mike Malone, Taylor Jenkins, and Mike Budenholzer all have Spurs lineage. Two of them have won NBA championships as a head coach, and Jenkins was one of the best talent developers in the league with the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Spurs have an opening this summer, they will likely be the most attractive job in the NBA with Wembanyama leading the way.
The NBA Draft
The Spurs have done pretty well for themselves in the draft recently. Wembanyama was a no-brainer at number-one, Stephon Castle will likely be the rookie of the year, and they’ve developed solid role players like Sochan and Vassell. San Antonio will have the chance to grab two more young players in a talented 2025 draft class.
San Antonio holds a 6% chance at landing the number-one pick and a 26.3% chance at a top-four selection. They’ll most likely select 8th overall, and also own the Atlanta Hawks’ pick, which is slated to be 14th (3.4% chance at top-4, .7% chance at number one).
The 2025 Draft is top-heavy. The first four players selected all have All-Star upside. It falls off a bit after that. Still, the Spurs could grab a long-term starter with either of their first-round selections. Or, they could decide to package those picks and acquire a player via trade, making a step toward contending right now.
They could use more shooters, big men, and players capable of scoring off the bench. In the 8-15 range, the Spurs could grab players like Kon Knueppel, Rasheer Fleming, Liam McNeeley, Derik Queen, Khaman Maluach, Collin Murray-Boyles, or Asa Newell – all players that would fill a need.
Big game hunting
The movement of big-time talent will likely define this offseason. The Milwaukee Bucks could be headed for a first-round exit. The Phoenix Suns are a mess. The Atlanta Hawks missed the playoffs after losing two Play-In games. There is a chance superstars like Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Trae Young are on the trade market. The Spurs have the assets and contracts to make a big splash.
San Antonio’s involvement in the star trade market is likely the biggest indicator of how the organization feels about the current roster. A Durant trade makes some sense if they think they’re ready to go on a playoff run right now. The big three of Wembanyama, Fox, and another star would be one of the more exciting collections of talent in the league.
A blockbuster trade would likely cost them future draft assets and maybe one or two pieces of the long-term core. It would seem Castle is off the table, so Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Sochan are the team’s best trade assets. San Antonio’s front office will need to decide whether it wants to mortgage some of their long-term pieces for a shorter-term upgrade.