Spurs' projected 2027 starting lineup should excite them and terrify rest of NBA

It's no secret that the San Antonio Spurs have one of the best young cores in the NBA. They are currently in the middle of their first playoff run together, but we are already getting a glimpse of what the future might hold.

The Spurs' starting lineup has gone through several machinations this season, mostly due to injury, before they settled on one. De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Victor Wembanyama are the team's current starting five.

That being said, next season's team's starting five may look a little bit different. Next, let's project the Spurs' 2027 starting lineup based on what we know right now.

Projecting the Spurs' 2027 starting lineup

Barring something unforeseen, Fox, Castle, and Wembanyama are the only sure things when it comes to next season's starting five. That leaves both Vassell and Champagnie as the only two upgradeable spots in the starting five.

Both have played their roles to perfection. So if they were to lose their starting role, it would be through no fault of their own.

Of course, the two most likely candidates to replace them would be Dylan Harper (with Castle scaling up to play the three) and Carter Bryant at power forward. Between Harper and Bryant, I believe Bryant has the better chance of the two to start.

Carter Bryant must start for the Spurs in 2026-27

While the Spurs have increasingly played Fox, Harper, and Castle together in the playoffs, they still need Vassell to start. He's the best all-around shooter on the roster and makes sense as a floor spacer in the starting five.

As a result, I expect the Spurs' starting lineup to be Fox, Castle, Vassell, Bryant, and Wembanyama next season. Bryant has proven that he is a good shooter, connecting on 37.3% of his threes from February 1st to the end of the season.

In addition to that, he has all the makings of an elite perimeter defender. San Antonio should want to get him into the starting lineup ASAP. Imagine having both Castle and Bryant starting on the perimeter. San Antonio would be able to clamp down defensively before opponents even reach Wembanyama.

We already know how Julian Champagnie will perform off the bench, so there's no downside to moving him back to the second unit. The upside is that San Antonio could be just as good offensively and even better defensively next season, just by making a small tweak to the starting five.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow