Spurs 1st half rotation may be foreshadowing a disappointing development

There's only one exhibition game left for San Antonio before the regular season begins on October 24. The Spurs played their worst half of preseason basketball against the Miami Heat last night, and there's good news, bad news, and potentially disturbing news.

The bad news is that San Antonio's dreaded turnover issue popped back up. The Silver and Black finished the first half with 15, with nine coming in the first quarter. The good news is that the game doesn't count, so the Spurs don't have to start the season with that stain on their record. Starting the season by taking care of the ball is a good habit they need to begin the year with.

Victor Wembanyama sat out the second half but got in some conditioning in preparation for another long season. So, we're focusing on the first half because, with everyone healthy except for Devin Vassell, that's the closest we've gotten so far to knowing what Coach Popovich is thinking regarding a real in-game rotation. Unfortunately, there lies the potentially disturbing development.

Mamu didn't play a single minute in the first half

I use the word potential because getting into Coach Pop's head is not recommended for anyone. There's no telling what he's thinking. Sandro Mamukelashvili played some international ball this summer and has played in every game up until this point. Popovich could have made the decision to sit him to give Zach Collins and Bassey the run they need to get ready for the regular season.

With Wembanyama in the lineup, it crowds a frontcourt that no longer utilizes two traditional bigs on the floor at the same time. That's entirely plausible. If not, the fourth-year center may be relegated to another season on the bench.

The skepticism comes because you would think that solidifying the rotation with so little time left would be a priority, especially considering the addition of new pieces. Mamu has been a revelation this preseason. He's shot the ball at a ridiculously high clip, and his energy has been sensational.

Mamukelashvili did enter the Miami game, but he played less than five minutes and didn't log a field goal attempt, though he did get to the free throw line, where he made one of two attempts.

He adds another junk guy, similar to Jeremy Sochan, who will do the dirty work and give extreme effort 100% of the time. He's a strong cutter, and if he can continue shooting the ball as he has through those first three games, he deserves to be on the floor.

Zach Collins is a little bigger and stronger than Mamu, providing a better presence inside, but he's sluggish compared to the Georgian-American big man from New York. Bassey is quick and strong, but he lacks the shooting ability Mamu has been showing off.

The Spurs have gathered an assortment of bigs with various strengths and weaknesses, but other than Wembanyama, nobody brings the juice like Mamu. He needs to be on the court, and hopefully Pop will agree by the time San Antonio meets the Mavericks in Dallas.