4 Players who must rise to the occasion for the inconsistent Spurs

After breaking a franchise record 18-game losing streak with a morale-boosting win against the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs were blown out at home by a mid-tier New Orleans Pelicans team, marked by Coach Popovich’s post-game statement describing the loss as “an ass-whooping—pure and simple—drop the mic.” Needless to say, Spurs fans are growing restless, are at odds with one another when it comes to what needs to change, and are confused as to why the team appears worse than last season’s squad.

The fact of the matter is that the Spurs—even with Victor Wembanyama—are in an assessment stage of their rebuild. That is, they’re trying new lineups, giving players new and challenging roles, and determining who is and isn’t a part of the rebuild moving forward. In the Spurs’ latest game against the Lakers, ESPN’s Mark Jones suggested that the team is holding “tryouts” for who will stick around with Wembanyama, and, to a point, that’s a completely fair assessment.

With that in mind, this season will be about taking advantage of opportunities for the Spurs’ young players. With the sheer number of assets, the Spurs hold moving forward, particularly in the way of draft picks—the Spurs’ current young players will need to prove that they can contribute to winning basketball on a consistent basis, even in losing situations, to hang onto their place in a Spurs roster that will likely look very different just a few seasons from now. The following four players in particular have a big chance to make positive impressions within the Spurs’ front office.