Now the franchise’s future is in the hands of players like the third-year forward Keldon Johnson, Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, and the Spurs are projected to have a good chunk of cap space next summer. This is a developmental year to see what they have in players like Lonnie Walker.
San Antonio signed some quality veterans (Bryn Forbes, Doug McDermott), but don’t expect to see the team in the playoffs. And, of course, there’s the annual question: How much longer will Gregg Popovich coach?
Houston Rockets
For a team that finished with the league’s worst regular-season record last season, the bar for contention is decidedly low in Houston. But if the Rockets compete at all this year, it will be because of the rookie Jalen Green.
Green is a confident 6-foot-6 guard with exceptional athleticism and a creative shotmaking arsenal. He is the clear focal point of the Rockets’ offense and rebuild.
Coach Stephen Silas will enter his second season in Houston with one of the youngest rosters in the N.B.A. Green, 19, is one of several Rockets players under 22. And in the likely event that John Wall, who is reportedly working with the team on a trade, doesn’t suit up for the Rockets this season, Green will be forced into a leadership role whether he’s ready for it or not.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have endured some sad, challenging times. Fifteen straight losing seasons and the league’s longest active playoff drought can’t really be described any other way. Now, Coach Luke Walton, who has gone 31-41 in each of his first two seasons, is preparing for Year 3 and there is only modest cause for optimism.
The positives: De’Aaron Fox, 23, and Tyrese Haliburton, 21, who was a revelation as a rookie last season, are a backcourt that any franchise could begin to build around. And the Kings appeared to add a solid perimeter defender by drafting Davion Mitchell from Baylor. (He was impressive at summer league.)
But Mitchell cannot guard five positions at once, and the Kings were awful on defense last season, ranking last in the league in opponent’s field-goal percentage, among other unsavory distinctions. They could be in for another bumpy ride.