3 Training camp battles Spurs fans should watch for

The San Antonio Spurs are about to enter an interesting training camp. In years past, San Antonio has had a lot of their roster spots locked down. They had star caliber players that we all knew had their roster spots set in stone. This season is going to be unlike anything we have seen in over 20 years -- with a roster full of questions. This roster is full of young guns with the average roster age being 22 years old.

Everyone on this roster has to fight for their minutes and legendary head coach Gregg Popovich is not an easy man to impress. Here are some of the key training camp match ups to keep an eye out for.

Spurs guard battle: Tre Jones vs. Joshua Primo

To start it off, we have the obvious Joshua Primo vs Tre Jones battle. While Primo is the higher pick selection and has a higher ceiling, Tre Jones is a natural born playmaker who was more steady last season. I can easily see Gregg Popovich going with the better playmaker to run the offense in the starting lineup. That being said, Joshua Primo has a chance to show how much he has grown and take the mantle as the next lead guard for this team.

The 'New guys' battle: Malaki Branham vs. Blake Wesley

The next two players to watch compete are Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley. Both players were selected later in the 2022 NBA Draft. They will be the primary players competing for the backup combo guard minutes. I think this training camp will decide who gets to play and who needs to spend time with the Austin Spurs.

Malaki Branham projects to be a natural scorer who can get a bucket at will on all three levels while the Notre Dame product Blake Wesley seems to be a jack of all trades type. He showed defense and some playmaking ability this last Summer League as well

Who will be the starting power forward?

Finally, we have Baylor defensive specialist Jeremy Sochan going up against sharp shooting veteran Doug McDermott. Some fans would say that the ninth overall pick would be a instant favorite to mark down to start right away. San Antonio has been known to be unconventional, so nothing is ever set in stone.

There is also the case to be made that there is a awkward fit with Sochan and Jakob Poeltl playing next to each other. The front court would have a severe lack of spacing unless Jeremy Sochan makes a big jump in his shooting ability. There is a scenario where the San Antonio head coach prefers injecting some sharp shooting and spacing into the starting lineup until something develops.

This rebuilding San Antonio Spurs team has the makings to be exciting and fun to watch. We will see who has the most to prove in training camp and who arrives ready to make a name for himself. Be ready Spurs fans, we have an interesting season on our hands, to say the least.

The Spurs' training camp will run from Sept. 27 - Oct 2.