Breaking down the depth chart after a busting offseason for the Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have had a bustling offseason and will have a lot of questions to answer about their depth chart heading into this season. From adding Victor Wembanyama to determining where to place established players like Keldon Johnson, there are some significant decisions that lie ahead for the front office. With that in mind, how can they start fleshing out the pecking order at every position?

Guards

Starters: Tre Jones - Devin Vassell

The backcourt is probably the most self-explanatory part of San Antonio's depth chart. Tre Jones and Devin Vassell have exhibited plenty of poise and development in their young careers, and they are the clearcut starters. While nagging injuries derailed Vassell last season, he's set up to make an enormous leap as the second option behind Wembanyama. His combination of three-level scoring and defensive chops make him a dangerous matchup for opposing teams, and Vassell can rack up the points when he gets to his spots.

No one is better suited to run the starting unit than Jones. He averaged over six assists per game last season and the offense looked its best when the reliable floor general was at the helm. Jones has the ability to set up teammates, and that will be the key to capitalizing on wide-open looks when defenses are sucked in by Wembanyama's gravity. Though undersized, Jones is still an effective defender. He is limited by his lack of range, but he some showed promise, shooting 45% from beyond the arc over his last 10 games of the season. He will never be Steph Curry, but a respectable three-ball could take him far in his career.

Bench: Cameron Payne - Malaki Branham

San Antonio traded for Cameron Payne earlier this offseason, and he should be a lock for the backup spot with his resume. He established himself in Phoenix, playing a crucial role for a playoff team. The 6-foot-1 point guard is about to turn 29, which means he could be a valuable veteran presence in the locker room. On the other hand, Payne is on an expiring deal and the Spurs could move him for assets at the deadline. At least for now, Payne will be one of the first guards off the bench.

Malaki Branham flourished after he received regular rotation minutes late last season. He continued making progress, picking up where he left off and showing out at Summer League. The former Ohio State Buckeye is entering his second go-round, and he may have a chance to earn a defined role for San Antonio. Branham has enticing three-level scoring potential, but his defense might hold him back from becoming a starter. He was one of the worst defenders on the worst defense in the NBA, and he can't afford to be a liability on that end of the floor.

Reserves: Blake Wesley - Devonte Graham

Blake Wesley is still extremely raw and will need to spend some additional time in Austin to polish his game. While his blistering speed raises his scoring potential, he must learn how to slow down and let the game come to him. His passing vision is also a work in progress, and the G League is the perfect place for him to learn the fundamentals of the Spurs system.

Devonte' Graham is one of the players that has question marks around him heading into the season. As a smaller guard with inefficient scoring, it is tough to see him carving out a role in the rotation. He might find minutes when injuries inevitably strike, but he could land somewhere else by the deadline, possibly sooner depending on what cuts the Spurs make after training camp.

Forwards

Starters: Victor Wembanyama - Jeremy Sochan

This may come as a surprise to some, but Wembanyama is cemented as one of the starting forwards for San Antonio. The Spurs have labeled the 7-foot-3 Frenchman as a forward in their press releases and official rosters. Wembanyama has expressed his disinterest in suiting up at center, and he will be a de facto power forward to begin his career. While he is one of the tallest players on the floor, tipoffs might be the only tranditional big man duties the Spurs ask him to handle. That might change after he adds muscle and adapts to the NBA, but he will see most of his minutes at the four this season.

Jeremy Sochan is the logical choice to assume a starting role next to Wembanyama. While Keldon Johnson is a popular pick among fans to remain in the starting lineup, it is impossible to ignore that the second-year forward has a greater two-way impact on the game than his exuberant counterpart. Sochan has already exhibited the ability to defend some of the best players in the league. His subpar shooting poses problems, but his cutting, finishing, and secondary playmaking help cover up some of his shortcomings. Sochan can lead the offense for brief stints, and his well-rounded game makes him the ideal partner alongside Wembanyama in San Antonio's defensive-minded system.

Bench: Keldon Johnson - Doug McDermott

Keldon Johnson is the obvious choice to become San Antonio's sixth man. His energy is undeniable and he and would be an immediate spark plug off the bench. Johnson finishes at the rim and can hit catch-and-shoot threes, which makes him a seamless plug-and-play contributor in numerous lineup configurations. His defense is the one knock that keeps him in the second unit under Sochan, but he has been effective on that end in a lesser role earlier in his career. Benching your leading scorer may seem questionable, though rampant injuries amid a tanking season forced Keldon into that role. While Johnson is a very good player, the Spurs have a tough decision ahead of them.

The next second string forward could easily change throughout the season, but Doug McDermott is the simple choice here. While Julian Champagnie had a remarkable Summer League that caught the attention of Spurs fans everywhere, McDermott is a steady presence that you know will get buckets. Movement shooting and timely cutting make McDermott a perfect complementary piece for a player like Wembanyama. He should benefit from the looks that Wemby generates. His three-point shooting is instrumental for a team with limited spacing, and McDermott is aware his playstyle will "fit the mold" to elevate the number one overall pick.

Reserves: Cedi Osman - Julian Champagnie

Cedi Osman, much like Payne, landed in San Antonio via a trade this summer. He is a serviceable role player, but it might be a challenge for the Spurs to figure out where the sixth-year veteran fits on this roster. His expiring contract makes him expendable, and Osman is likely the odd-man out as the front office navigates the next stages of their rebuild.

Centers

Starter: Zach Collins

The center position is straightforward on one end and completely up in the air on the other. After San Antonio traded Jakob Poeltl to the Raptors at the deadline, Zach Collins stepped up his production to 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.2 stocks per game while shooting 39.2% from three as a full-time starter. His career was in limbo after numerous significant injuries left him on the sidelines in Portland, but this late-season comeback was real. He brings everything a franchise could want from a center in the modern NBA, and Head Coach Gregg Popovich named him a 2023-24 starter before last season even ended.

Bench: Charles Bassey

The backup spot is up for debate. While Charles Bassey had a strong showing with San Antonio after the Sixers waived him last season, he ran into a hurdle when he broke his kneecap in mid-March. The Spurs saw enough flashes of talent to sign him to a four-year contract, but they found another young center on the waiver wire during his extended absence that could challenge Bassey for second string responsibilities on the depth chart.

Reserve: Sandro Mamukelashvili

Whereas Bassey brings a physical presence on the glass who can protect the paint and run the floor, Mamukelashvili has a more perimeter oriented skillset. He can stretch the floor and pass the rock like a guard, but a lack of defense puts Mamu a step below Bassey on the totem pole. Both players have a case to become the backup center, but training camp will likely be the ultimate deciding factor in who wins the job. There are positives and negatives to each player, and this could be a positional battle we watch unfold throughout the season as injuries and consistency impact their performance.