Fans are divided between the nostalgia of 2017 and the hype of 2026

After winning 62 games this season, the San Antonio Spurs now have eight 60-win teams throughout their franchise history. In fact, the last time San Antonio won 60 games was back in 2016-17, and the franchise ranks third all-time in that category.

That's incredibly impressive, but this roster differs dramatically from those previous incarnations. For one, they are unusually young compared to those previous 60 win teams.

This is also the first of those teams that do not feature either David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili. Instead, they are led by Victor Wembanyama, who will hopefully carry this roster to a championship.

That still remains to be seen, but San Antonio's success this season does raise an interesting question that, perhaps, fans can only answer. How would the 2017 Spurs and the 2026 Spurs match up in a hypothetical all-time series?

How good was the 2016-17 Spurs?

Choosing which team is better is difficult considering how dramatically things have changed the NBA. This season, San Antonio attempted 37.9 3-point attempts per game, which ranks 14th in the league.

However, that would have ranked second back in 2017, with the Spurs only attempting 23.5 threes per game that season. Pace has also increased thanks to teams shooting more threes and, therefore, scoring more points.

Nevertheless, the 2017 Spurs ranked among the best teams in the NBA during their time, with them being led by Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.

That roster included the likes of Parker, Ginobili, Pau Gasol, Patty Mills, Danny Green, Jonathan Simmons, David Lee, and Dwayne Dedmon. While Parker and Ginobili were towards the end of their careers, a deep supporting cast helped make that Spurs team elite on both sides of the ball.

Obviously, they had Leonard, who finished second in MVP voting that season, as well as Aldridge, who was an All-Star that year.

Compare all that to this year's Spurs team, which features stars Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, as well as Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Dylan Harper.

Comparing the 2017 Spurs and 2026 Spurs

The 2017 Spurs were surprisingly athletic compared to previous incarnations. In fact, Kawhi, Dedmon, and Simmons provided San Antonio plenty of athleticism on both sides of the ball.

They also featured a talented front court with Gasol replacing Duncan. He served as a terrific passer, 3-point shooter, rebounder, and a surprisingly capable rim protector.

Aldridge took a backseat to Kawhi but was the backbone of that team defensively. He also provided a unique combination of low-post scoring and elite mid-range shooting.

Lastly, Lee gave the Silver and Black a unique blend of passing and ambidextrous finishing at the basket. He also formed a potent pairing with Dedmon in the second unit.

San Antonio's front court differs dramatically this season. Instead of having four traditional big men, really only Luke Kornet fits that bill this year. If you think Wembanyama is an alien now, he would have been truly out of this world back in 2017.

Remember, the Golden State Warriors started Zaza Pachulia while the Cleveland Cavaliers were playing Tristan Thompson at center. An elite 7'4" big man who could shut down the paint and drill threes off the dribble would have been a one-man wrecking ball.

Who would win an all-time series: the 2017 Spurs or 2026 Spurs

For all of the strengths the 2017 Spurs had, it's hard to see it matching up well against this version of the Spurs. For one, this version of the Spurs has a far superior backcourt and depth on the wing.

Parker and Ginobili weren't the same players they were at their peak, though Green was an elite three-and-d wing. Mills was a sharpshooter off the bench, and Simmons was a terrific slasher.

Nevertheless, combined, they couldn't hold a candle to this version of the Silver And Black. Fox, Castle, and Harper are a stellar trio that could cook that version of Parker, Ginobili, Mills, and Simmons.

Leonard would obviously give this Spurs team fits. However, I'd argue he is a better offensive player now than he was then.

Aldridge could cook Julian Champagnie in the post and thrived scoring at the rim with Gasol tossing him lobs. However, Wembanyama lurking in the paint could dramatically affect his shot.

Gasol could space the floor, but no chance he'd be able to guard Wemby. Aldridge was a good rim protector and could guard on the perimeter but never defended a player such as Wembanyama.

Therefore, in a seven-game series, the 2026 Spurs would likely win in five games.

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