Spurs bring back core, face roster cuts and luxury-tax decisions
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs officially announced a 21-man roster ahead of training camp, continuing a continuity-driven approach that keeps a large portion of last season’s Finals-caliber group intact.
The team’s camp will begin Tuesday at the Victory Capital Performance Center, the Spurs said, with the organization also scheduling its annual Media Day for Monday. The roster includes a mix of veterans on standard deals, two-way contract players and training-camp invitees as coach Mitch Johnson begins his second full season at the helm.
Roster composition and deadline
The announced roster features 14 players on standard contracts, three on two-way deals and four training-camp invites. The Spurs return 12 players from last season’s NBA Finals roster, including their top 10 scorers, giving the club a strong baseline of continuity as it prepares for the regular season.
- Standard contracts (14): Harrison Barnes, Carter Bryant, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Tobias Harris, Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, Jordan McLaughlin, Jayden Quaintance, Tarris Reed Jr., Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama.
- Two-way contracts (3): Maliq Brown, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, David Jones Garcia.
- Training-camp invites (4): R.J. Davis, Jon Elmore, Taelon Peter, Malik Williams.
The Spurs must trim the roster to 18 players by Oct. 19, the day before the regular season opens, which means at least three players on the current list will not be on the regular-season roster coming out of camp.
Payroll and luxury-tax context
San Antonio’s payroll sits at about $197.6 million, the team reported. That places the Spurs approximately $2.84 million below the $200.43 million luxury-tax threshold and roughly $11.42 million below the first apron set at $209.02 million. The club retains one available standard contract slot.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Standard contracts | 14 |
| Two-way contracts | 3 |
| Training-camp invites | 4 |
| Payroll (approx.) | $197.6M |
With one standard contract slot remaining, front-office decisions during camp and in the final preseason will be weighed against both roster balance and the club’s payroll position. Remaining below the luxury-tax line gives the Spurs some short-term financial flexibility, but reaching the apron would restrict midseason roster moves.
Development pipeline and contract details
The camp roster also clarifies the Spurs’ depth and development strategy. Several young players and recent additions are included: Carter Bryant is listed at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, an update from last season’s listing. The three two-way players — Maliq Brown, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and David Jones Garcia — will be eligible to move between San Antonio and its G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
Notably, two players who signed Exhibit 10 deals earlier this month, Miles Barnstable and Jayden Nunn, are not among the four camp invitees. The Spurs noted that if those players return to Austin for at least 60 days, they would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $91,000. The same bonus eligibility applies to the four invitees — R.J. Davis, Taelon Peter, Jon Elmore and Malik Williams — should they be waived and spend at least 60 days with the Austin Spurs.
What to watch in training camp
Key storylines for locals and season-ticket holders will include how the Spurs manage minutes for their returning core, spots for young players to earn sustained roles, and whether the organization uses its remaining standard contract to pursue a late addition before the roster deadline. With the roster largely intact from a Finals run, coaching staff and front office choices during camp will shape how the Spurs balance continuity with improvement heading into the regular season.
San Antonio’s training camp and Media Day will provide the first public opportunities to evaluate the group before preseason games and the Oct. 19 roster cutdown.
