Spurs veteran already looks finished at the midway point of the 2026 season

The San Antonio Spurs have jumped into title contention this season, and it has eliminated Bismack Biyombo from the rotation. They brought him back after the big man played his way onto the roster at the end of last season. The Spurs wanted multiple options behind Victor Wembanyama, but giving Biyombo minutes quickly turned disastrous.

The 33-year-old played in five of the first six contests and was averaging 0.4 points and 1.0 rebound in 8.8 minutes per game. That was all head coach Mitch Johnson needed to see to rip him from the rotation. The veteran has played more than three and a half minutes in a game just once since, and the Spurs have multiple options to turn to before Biyombo would be back on the floor for meaningful run.

He was a quality role player in multiple stops. The big man has started 378 NBA games and helped three different franchises make the playoffs. Biyombo has been impactful in multiple roles, but his best days appear to be behind him.

Bismack Biyombo looks washed as the Spurs leap into contention

He averaged 5.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game last season, but the Spurs were 10-18 with him in the rotation. Things changed in San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama is a superstar, and the Spurs are chasing a top-four seed in the Western Conference. Putting up numbers is no longer enough. Players must impact winning.

After 41 games played, Biyombo has appeared just 11 times and averages less than one point and one rebound per contest. The Spurs have an absurd 132.8 defensive rating with the 6’8 big man on the floor and are 23.4 points per 100 possessions worse when he plays.

It is a small sample size. Biyombo has only played 65 minutes, but that should tell fans all they need to know. Coach Johnson is choosing not to play the big man as the Spurs try to win. That speaks volumes about his impact and production.

San Antonio is not chasing a star before the trade deadline. They think their roster has the pieces to contend and will only improve as Wemby, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper reach their primes. There is no need to make an all-in move. The Spurs have the pieces and plenty of depth around them. There may be growing pains ahead, but San Antonio is poised to be a contender for years to come.

Bismack Biyombo may be in his final NBA season. He signed a one-year minimum contract with the Spurs in the offseason and is set to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The 33-year-old is a veteran and strong locker room presence, but his on-court production is nonexistent. NBA teams are going away from that in the era where every dollar counts, and this could sadly be the end for the veteran big man.

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the biggest surprises of this season. Wembanyama gives them a chance against anyone, and the Spurs have built a talented roster around their star. Bismack Biyombo was a miss, but there is always one. Expect the Spurs to quickly move on and keep adding pieces. The best is yet to come in the Wemby era, and fans are beyond excited. Do not miss it.