Following their 2026 NBA Finals defeat, the San Antonio Spurs must re-evaluate their roster around a core trio, according to ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins. He named Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper as the only untouchable players, suggesting a major trade is necessary.
The Spurs’ impressive season concluded with a five-game series loss to the New York Knicks, falling in all three home games. Despite the disappointing end, the campaign marked the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 2014 and included a Western Conference Finals victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Wembanyama was dominant throughout the series, but Perkins believes the supporting cast requires a significant overhaul to secure a championship.
Perkins pinpointed veteran guard De’Aaron Fox as the primary player who should be moved, citing both his large contract and his on-court fit with emerging talent. “They’re going to have to find another place for [Fox]. Number one, he makes too much money, and number two, he’s getting in the way of Dylan Harper. That spot belongs to Dylan Harper. We saw last night, and throughout the course of this series, that he was their most consistent offensive player in on that team,” Perkins stated.
The analysis focuses on elevating the players who proved most effective alongside Wembanyama during the high-pressure environment of the Finals. “And when you think about De’Aaron Fox and the money that he’s making, forget the fact that he struggled throughout the course of the NBA Finals, because he did have some bright spots. Dylan Harper is just that dude, and there’s three guys that I’m looking at on the San Antonio Spurs that are untouchable, Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The rest of the roster needs to be reevaluated.”
With a clear core identified, the San Antonio front office enters a critical offseason with ample cap space and a direct challenge to build a title-winning team. The directive from Perkins is unambiguous. “Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper [are untouchable]. The rest of the roster needs to be reevaluated.”
