The Spurs Maintain a Spot in This Part of the West Hierarchy

The dust has finally settled in the NBA, and we have begun the dog days of the offseason. There is no better time to paint the picture of how the NBA landscape will unfold next season. With few stones left unturned, we have a good idea of how each team will fare in 2025-26. Many teams have improved, and particularly in the West, a gauntlet awaits—that is most certainly the case for the upstart Spurs.

Last season, the Spurs finished 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 34-48. The team suffered through the loss of their superstar, Victor Wembanyama, midway through the year, as well as injuries to newly acquired point guard De’Aaron Fox, among others. While it was a disappointing finish, there is considerable optimism for the squad heading into next season. With plenty of reinforcements on board, where could this Spurs team land in 2025-26?

The Spurs Maintain a Spot in This Part of the West Hierarchy

The Spurs are Below the Top Dogs

As previously mentioned, the Western Conference is expected to be a dogfight next season. That is especially true because a select few teams are dominating at the top of the conference. Last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder reigned supreme and established themselves as the team to beat in the West. Following them, the second-seeded Houston Rockets recently added Kevin Durant to an already loaded and youthful roster. Both of these squads will be the crown jewels of the conference for years to come. The Spurs are not quite on that level yet. At least, they haven’t proven to be.

Trailing these squads, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves present battle-tested and veteran squads that will remain a steady force. These teams have consistently proven themselves and cannot be written off.. Without any experience as a true contender, the Spurs won’t be joining these grounded teams yet. However, looking past the group of Conference Finals hopefuls, the Spurs’ name starts to get thrown into the mix.

The Spurs Belong in the Second Tier of Playoff Contenders

While the Spurs may not be ready to win a championship, they deserve recognition as a shoo-in playoff squad. Whether that be via the Play-In tournament or one of the top six seeds, the Spurs seem destined to breach. Among their competitors in this range, there are a handful of potent, veteran-led units. They include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors. Each of these teams has Hall of Fame talent but lacks a viable number of complementary pieces. Even though these teams are not seen as title favorites, they hold a puncher’s chance at making a run. That is precisely where the Spurs fall.

Even without playoff experience, the Spurs roster is too good to fail. They hold onto one of the best young players in the NBA, a star point guard, and one of the deepest benches in the NBA. With their star talent and breadth of supplementary players, the Spurs will skyrocket up the standings. Just like the Rockets a year ago, the Spurs are ready to transform their organization and quickly become a team to beat. There is no reason to write them off; this Spurs squad is hungry and ready. They deserve your respect.