Carter Bryant is unlocking a dangerous new weapon for Spurs playoff run

Counterpunching is the name of the game in today's NBA. It's not just about if you can impose your will; it's about how you adjust when the opponent throws a wrench in your plans. That makes versatility in players and lineups more important than ever, so having Carter Bryant ready to play some small-ball center is a weapon the Spurs will benefit from immensely.

It's not something that we've seen much of, but Mitch Johnson deployed the look against the Clippers, and it showed a lot of promise. LA's head coach, Ty Lue, has a bright mind for the game. He's a smart leader who will try anything to win, and he's adept at pulling all of the talent possible out of his roster—even when they're missing a guy like Kawhi Leonard.

They're already not a particularly big team, so it wasn't a shock to see him lean into that by putting a lineup out there without a center. Coach Johnson was ready for it, though, and Spurs fans should sleep well at night knowing that fact because the Clippers are a possible first-round opponent for the Silver and Black.

Carter Bryant could be crucial to winning those minutes

Victor Wembanyama is so special that he can play against small ball lineups with success, but the same isn't true for Luke Kornet. As important as the ex-Celtic will be to the postseason run, he's a more traditional center who does not have the lateral foot speed to keep up with a unit that leans heavily on speed and athleticism. That's where Bryant comes in.

He's spoken about his willingness to play the small ball role with an almost eagerness to learn the ins and outs of that responsibility. You can find those comments in Tom Orsborn's San Antonio Express-News article. Long story short, he's ready for the challenge and wants to take it on.

He has the right mentality to do it. CB is a nice kid, but he also has a lot of fight in him. I could be reading too much into this, but you can see a fire in his eyes when he plays and when he speaks about his goals. His quick growth should be an indication of how bad he wants to do well, and when you combine that passion with freak athleticism and coachability, you get a great player.

The 2025 14th overall pick is as strong as a bull, and with his length and hops, he can contest entry passes, front guys bigger than him, and block shots at the rim. Putting him on the floor with guys like Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie, and Devin Vassell gives San Antonio an unbelievably athletic lineup. If they can get out and run in transition, they'll be deadly.

I don't envision the unit being used heavily, but again, it's another potentially potent tool for Mitch to use when he needs it. Now San Antonio can run groups with double bigs, one big, or no bigs; they can play 5-out, isolation, pick-and-roll, etc. The possibilities are endless, and that makes game planning against them hell for their opponents.