Spurs already have a brewing Carter Bryant problem on their hands

San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant has seen increased playing time of late with the team shorthanded. Him getting NBA minutes this early on should be a good thing, but he's nowhere near NBA-ready at the moment.

In fact, Bryant might benefit more from spending time in the G League. I know, I know, he's only 19 and still learning as he goes, but he looks lost on both ends of the floor.

It's obvious that the team is high on him considering they are gifting him minutes this early on in his career. Especially since most Spurs draft picks who aren't selected in the high lottery don't get that opportunity.

Unfortunately, his play doesn't warrant it at the moment. On defense, he has the size, length, and athleticism to hang, but he jumps or reacts to everything and often finds himself out of position.

On offense, he's ugly to watch. While his jumper looks fine, he's shooting just 26.3% from outside. He also can't finish at the rim to save his life, converting on just 50% of his shots within three feet and 38.7% on 2-pointers.

Yikes! That's not even to mention that he's missed a surprising number of makeable dunks, which is alarming given that he is an elite athlete.

The Spurs must send Carter Bryant to the G League ASAP

It's nice to see San Antonio give a young player minutes, but with the Spurs trying to win games, he isn't helping them do so. The advanced numbers bear that out, with them being the worst on the team by far.

That is not to say that Bryant can't improve as the season progresses, but things aren't trending that way. Instead, the team should send him to Austin to give him more minutes and time to work on key aspects of his game.

Things such as being more disciplined defensively, ironing out the wrinkles in his shot, and learning how to finish.

Fixing those things probably won't happen this season, and it might take another to become a rotation-caliber player. He was always going to be a project, but his potential as a big three-and-d wing is tantalizing and worth the wait.

If that player emerges, then San Antonio could have the perfect successor to Harrison Barnes and possibly even Keldon Johnson rolled into one. In the meantime, the Spurs shouldn't force-feed Bryant minutes and should send him to the G League for more seasoning.