SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio, a 2026 NBA Finals participant, doesn’t have a lot of “building” to do. That’s what the last three seasons were for.
On Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Ja’Kobi Gillespie with the No. 42 pick. The guard from Tennessee is 6 feet, 183-pounds, and averaged 18.4 points per game in the 2025-26 season.
Just two picks later, the Spurs selected Maliq Brown out of Duke. The forward is 6 feet 9 inches, 225 pounds, and will add another defensive presence. Per the Blue Devils sports information team, Brown was voted ACC Defensive Player of the Year, ACC Sixth Man of the Year and ACC All-Defensive Team for the 2025-26 season.
Brown didn’t spend his entire career at Duke. He played his final two seasons at Duke (2024-26) and first two seasons at Syracuse (2022-24).
The Spurs selected Jayden Quaintance with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
Quaintance, the former Kentucky forward, brings height that the Spurs could use, if healthy. The 6-foot-9-inch, 253-pound forward averaged five points and five rebounds and shot 57.1% from the field.
With the 26th pick, the Silver and Black added UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr., a 6-foot-11, 263-pound center.
Now, the Spurs have an opportunity to move forward with new talent that can elevate the squad. Height? Check.
The addition of Quaintance can provide some relief in the post for Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs while the French star hits the bench.
During the postseason, Wembanyama led the team in points, rebounds and blocks, while Stephon Castle led in assists, and Julian Champagnie led in steals. The team’s gaps in production and flexibility were exposed in the postseason, especially during the NBA Finals.
Below are the players who are currently under contract with the Spurs:
- Stephon Castle - Guard
- De’Aaron Fox - Guard
- Dylan Harper - Guard
- Devin Vassell - Guard
- Carter Bryant - Forward
- Harrison Ingram - Forward
- Keldon Johnson - Forward
- David Jones Garcia - Forward
- Emmanuel Miller - Forward
- Lindy Waters III - Forward
- Luke Kornet - Center
- Victor Wembanyama - Center
Here are the players from the 2025-26 roster who are now free agents:
- Jordan McLaughlin - Guard
- Harrison Barnes - Forward
- Julian Champagnie - Forward
- Kelly Olynyk - Forward/Center
- Mason Plumlee - Forward/Center
- Bismack Biyombo - Center
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