Why the Spurs might not bring back any of their own free agents

Free agency won’t start until June 30th, but as soon as the Finals ended, teams have been able to negotiate with their own free agents. It’s an exclusive window that, on paper, allows incumbent franchises the opportunity to lock up guys they want to keep around before they get on the market.

In some years, the period is extremely important, as a team might have key pieces whose contracts expire. It’s not the case for the Spurs this offseason. In fact, it wouldn’t be a major shock if they don’t actually bring anyone back.

Advertisement

Let’s take a look at San Antonio’s free agents, how they performed in the regular season, and whether it seems likely that they’ll return.

Harrison Barnes | Unrestricted free agent

2025/26 stats: 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 39 percent from beyond the arc

Barnes was a starter for part of the season, and he looked like a solid placeholder. He didn’t make many mistakes, could play without the ball, and hit enough threes that the fact that opponents often left him open or parked their centers on him wasn’t a major problem. He ended the season as a bench piece, and the numbers suggest that he could be a solid backup who does a little bit of everything without compromising the team in any way. But the splits show a different picture.

Advertisement

The veteran forward started the season well before going ice-cold from beyond the arc and not being able to get to the bucket after closeouts. Just as the Spurs were finding their identity as a young, athletic team that applied rim pressure, Barnes looked like he had aged five years in a month. He lost his starting spot, and while he regained his touch from deep eventually, he never seemed like a dangerous weapon. Combine his lack of offensive presence with middling defense, and it’s no surprise he fell out of the rotation as the playoffs progressed.

Likelihood of returning: Medium

Barnes didn’t play in a few playoff games and got negligible minutes in others. He’s still just 34 and a good enough shooter to potentially get an offer with guaranteed playing time from someone else. There are two reasons why the Spurs…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-spurs-might-not-bring-010151833.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-06-18 01:01:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.