Spurs fans shouldn't worry if Carter Bryant struggles to get minutes this season

With the 14th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs committed extortion on the league. Mock drafts everywhere expected rising Arizona star Carter Bryant to fall within the first 10 picks of the lottery. By the fateful hand of the NBA gods, he fell right into the Spurs' lap.

However, Bryant is no perfect prospect and with that, there will be growing pains. To subdue these growing pains, it is widely expected that Bryant will not be heavily featured in the Spurs' rotation to start the season. Not to mention, the depth chart is absolutely loaded with talent. But don't fret, Spurs fans, your newest favorite rookie will get his time to shine.

Bryant needs to prove himself as a shooter

In the Summer League, Bryant was a force to be reckoned with. He was constantly glued to the opposing ball-handler and didn't allow anything to get past him. It was awe-inspiring. However, those same successes didn't carry over offensively. Bryant struggled to score the ball effectively, averaging just seven points.

The scoring woes don't come as a surprise either. Bryant never showcased a prominent scoring ability in college. Still, the forward flashed great potential as a shooter. In limited minutes and opportunities at Arizona, the growing shooter splashed 37.1% of his threes. The jumpshot is there; head coach Mitch Johnson needs to get it out of him.

Before Bryant can get a full workload, he will need to prove that he can shoot at an NBA level. In today's day and age, pure defenders without an offensive game are non-existent. You simply cannot touch the floor if you cannot score. So, if Bryant's Summer League struggles were any indicator of his NBA scoring ability, he will be out of the primary rotation for a long while. Still, I have complete trust that he will develop in time.

Where does Bryant fit in?

Not only does Bryant have to face the hurdle of shooting, but he also has to prove himself more effective than one of the best bench units in the NBA. Featured in the group are former Spurs draftees Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan. Adding further depth, Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk were added this offseason. There is a lot of talent for Bryant to overcome.

If no trades happen, it will be difficult for the rookie to usurp this bevy of talent. Unless Coach Johnson opts to run an incredibly deep rotation, it's hard to see a world where Bryant plays over these guys.

With that being said, Bryant likely forces a handful of these players out the door in the near future. Whether it's Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, or any of the seasoned Spurs, one or multiple will likely be gone to make way for Bryant. But as it currently stands, they are all still here, leaving the youngster on the outside looking in.

No matter where Bryant starts the season, he will get his time to shine; it just may not happen right away. He is simply too talented and too good a defender not to play. This is a testament to the Spurs' remarkable depth. Don't worry; instead, you should be enthralled by general manager Brian Wright's incredible team building.