The San Antonio Spurs continue to look like a franchise ahead of schedule — and increasingly comfortable staying the course.

San Antonio’s 117–102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day marked its third victory over the defending NBA champions in less than two weeks, pushing the Spurs to 23–7 and reinforcing a growing belief around the league: this is a team that doesn’t need to force anything at the trade deadline.

Rather than sparking urgency, the Spurs’ recent success has only strengthened the perception that patience remains the organizational priority.

Winning Without Deadline Pressure

The Spurs’ latest win followed earlier victories over Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinal on Dec. 13 and again in San Antonio earlier in the week. The result was Oklahoma City’s first home loss of the season and San Antonio’s eighth straight win — a stretch that has quietly reshaped how rival executives view the Spurs’ timeline.

Around the NBA, there is little expectation that San Antonio will chase a headline-grabbing trade ahead of Feb. 5, even as other contenders feel mounting pressure to act.

“They’re not going to sit around being satisfied,” one rival executive said. “But I don’t see them making a move like trading for Giannis. There are more reasonable options out there. They can be patient and opportunistic.”

That assessment reflects the broader league view: San Antonio is competitive by design, not desperation.

Internal Growth Continues to Drive Results

On the floor, the Spurs’ Christmas Day performance offered another example of why internal development remains the foundation. De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points, while Victor Wembanyama posted 19 points and 11 rebounds. Stephon Castle added 19 points and seven assists as San Antonio shot 53.6% from the field and held the Thunder to 38.9% shooting.

The Spurs led 69–60 at halftime after Fox scored 21 first-half points, then steadily widened the margin. A dunk by Dylan Harper late in the third quarter helped push the lead to 91–74, and San Antonio maintained control the rest of the way.

“This is like a playoff series,” Wembanyama said of facing the Thunder three times in a short span. “We learned a lot on the tactical side, [but] I don’t want to say too much about it. Keep something for us.”

That framing — growth through repetition rather than instant gratification — mirrors how the Spurs are approaching the season as a whole.

Opportunistic, Not Aggressive

When speaking with DallasHoopsJournal.com, league sources caution against interpreting San Antonio’s patience as passivity. The Spurs have the draft capital and young talent to make a meaningful move if the right opportunity arises. The key distinction is timing and fit.

One rival executive pointed to the type of deal the Orlando Magic made for Desmond Bane as a conceptual template — not a superstar swing, but a calculated addition aligned with a rising core.

“They have the assets to make a trade like Orlando did,” the source said. “It’d have to be someone that fits their timeline. Someone like a Trey Murphy III, for example, could be a strong fit.”

That kind of move remains hypothetical, but it illustrates how the Spurs are viewed: selective and prepared, rather than eager.

Why Waiting Still Makes Sense

San Antonio’s dominance over Oklahoma City has been particularly striking. The Thunder are 0–3 against the Spurs and 26–2 against everyone else — the first time since 1966–67 that a team has had three of its first five losses come against the same opponent, according to ESPN Research.

Despite that, the Spurs have shown no inclination to treat this stretch as a cue to accelerate their timeline artificially. With two more meetings against the Thunder still ahead — Jan. 13 in Oklahoma City and Feb. 4 in San Antonio — the Spurs appear content to keep learning, adjusting, and growing internally.

For now, the wins are real, the foundation is solid, and the front office sees no reason to force a move simply because expectations have risen.

Sometimes, the smartest play is staying exactly where you are.

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