Spurs' dangerous Quaintance addition threatens Thunder and Knicks' biggest advantage

If there's one thing the Spurs proved during their playoff run, it's that they belonged. The regular season was not a fluke. The Thunder and Knicks spent much of their time against San Antonio leaning into their special combination of size, defense, and physicality. Both teams overwhelmed opponents with those assets, and OKC only leaned into it further by drafting Aday Mara.

Unfortunately for those two, San Antonio added a massive prospect with unbelievable physical attributes to negate all that riff-raff.

According to the NBA Combine data, this is Jayden Quaintance's listed height with no shoes, and since shoes are a league requirement, he'll likely stand closer to 6'11" than 6'9". Factor that in with his monstrous wingspan and the 250-plus pounds he'll be throwing around, and there won't be a team in the league that can outmuscle the Spurs.

Putting JQ's insane measurements next to Victor Wembanyama will be a nightmare. The Spurs already boast the NBA's most disruptive defensive force. They're adding another rangy, physical freak, giving Mitch Johnson the flexibility to throw waves of length at opponents without sacrificing mobility.

Thunder and Knicks showed Spurs exactly what was missing

OKC outrebounded San Antonio in two of their three wins in the Western Conference Finals, and the Knicks did it for the whole series. New York's wasn't by much, but it was still done. Too many big plays and runs were started or sustained by second-chance opportunities. It's hard for Wembanyama to clean everything up when he has so many large bodies standing between him and the rim.

These guys are all leaning on, bumping, and grabbing Wemby every chance they get. They threw body after body at him, and at least to the Knicks' credit, it worked. For OKC, it worked just enough to force seven games, but ultimately, the better team won that series. There were still lessons to be learned, though.

Quaintance helps Spurs flip the script

The Thunder now have Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, and Aday Mara all standing above 7'0". However, they still have Thomas Sorber coming back to the lineup after he missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear in September. Sorber is only about 6'9" himself, but he has a massive wingspan and elite explosive ability. The kid can move.

The Knicks are having some issues keeping their team together as the CBA penalties threaten to cost their owner, James Dolan, a ton of money for being so far over the cap. Recent reports indicate he has no desire to go into the second apron, which could cost them Mitchell Robinson.

That situation has yet to resolve itself, but the Spurs can't worry about whether or not New York remains committed to what won them their first title in 53 years. They're ensuring that the problems they ran into during the postseason don't resurface. Next time, they'll have more size, force, physicality, interior defense, and overall defensive versatility than either squad.

Quaintance is a headline because of his extraordinary defensive ceiling, but he isn't the only reason the Spurs should feel optimistic. Tarris Reed Jr. will bring another layer of physicality and rebounding to the frontcourt that desperately needed help. Together, they represent a commitment to being the biggest, toughest, and most versatile defensive team in basketball.

OKC and New York used their size, length, and physicality to make life hard for the Spurs in the playoffs. Brian Wright responded by ensuring the Silver and Black could beat them at their own game next time. With the new face of the league as the anchor, the Spurs pulled out the oh-so-dreaded Uno reverse card, turning a weakness into a strength in the blink of an eye.

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