Too many recently employed Spurs are still walking around without an NBA job

The Silver and Black just took Spurs Nation on a helluva ride to the NBA Finals with one of the youngest cores ever. The journey back to relevance is littered with missed opportunities for players who didn't work out for whatever reason.

It's not necessarily an indictment of them all. Some are veterans nearing the end of their careers. But some are fringe rotation guys who had a chance but couldn't quite figure it out. Regardless of the why of it all, San Antonio's team evolved, and as many as five players who were signed to the Spurs' active roster within the last two years are still job hunting.

The Spurs' old depth suddenly looks very different

Kelly Olynyk, Bismack Biyombo, and Mason Plumlee are all on the back end of their careers, but San Antonio signed them all anyway. They were a redundant crew who offered mostly nothing on the court for most of the season and absolutely nothing in the playoffs when Luke Kornet wasn't enough.

The Spurs drafted Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. this summer to ensure they'll have a stable of backup bigs who can contribute the next time a playoff series gets sticky.

The younger Spurs castoffs are struggling to find their next stop

Lindy Waters III, Blake Wesley, and Malaki Branham are still in their 20s, but all three players are also without a standard NBA contract right now. Wesley and Branham were moved to acquire Kelly Olynyk last offseason.

Currently, Branham is assigned to Cleveland's G League team, but he's struggled to find a home, so that could be temporary.

Waters didn't necessarily do anything wrong during his time with the Spurs. He just doesn't stand out enough to command a spot on the team, and right now, it looks like that's true for him everywhere else.

The Spurs outgrew their old roster faster than anyone expected

Spurs Nation appreciates the service these guys provided, but the roster has been completely reshaped now. Victor Wembanyama is elevating; De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have the guard positions locked up. Tobias Harris, Quaintance, and Reed give San Antonio additional frontcourt depth and versatility.

Some of those guys were useful during the transition, but they aren't useful to a championship-caliber roster. That's what happens when you go from rebuilding to contending almost overnight.

The Silver and Black weren't even close to who they are now when they acquired most of these guys. They're worlds beyond that level now.

It's crazy to see so many recently rostered Spurs without a city to call home. The league can be brutal. And it doesn't even have to be telling them they can't play; it could simply be saying there are fewer roster spots than there are players to fill them. That's just the way NBA life goes.

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