The San Antonio Spurs boast an exceptionally intriguing room of two-way contract players heading into the preseason. With a deep, ultra-talented roster anchored by generational superstar Victor Wembanyama, carving out meaningful minutes in the NBA will be an uphill battle for anyone at the bottom of the rotation.
Maliq Brown, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, and David Jones Garcia each possess the raw talent required to carve out legitimate professional careers. However, their immediate futures in San Antonio hinge on developing or refining specific “swing skills”—the decisive traits that will either earn them playing time under Gregg Popovich or leave them watching from the bench during the 2026-27 campaign.
Maliq Brown: Elevating Scoring Aggression
From a purely defensive and physical standpoint, Maliq Brown is already fully prepared to step onto an NBA floor and compete right away. He projects as a savvy, highly switchable combo big man who should transition into a professional defensive scheme with minimal friction.
The major hurdle for Brown will be staying on the court in a modern, pace-and-space league without being a liability on the offensive end. During his 2025-26 season at Duke, Brown averaged just 4.9 points on 3.5 field goal attempts per game. According to Synergy, his most common play types relied heavily on cuts, miscellaneous plays, and putbacks—meaning he currently lacks a reliable, repeatable offensive role that seamlessly translates to the professional level.
To unlock his potential with the Spurs, Brown must expand his role as a pick-and-roll roll man. Playing alongside elite playmakers like De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle means Brown will have ample opportunity to secure easy layups if he screens hard and dives aggressively. San Antonio doesn’t need him to drop 10-plus points a night, but he must give opposing defenses a reason to respect his presence.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie: Proving Himself on the Defensive End
Ja’Kobi Gillespie enters the mix as an electric, dynamic offensive guard. He is an absolute flamethrower from deep and possesses advanced craft as a ball-handler and playmaker.
Yet, explosive, undersized guards are a dime a dozen in today’s basketball ecosystem, and the NBA is famously unforgiving to smaller players who lack multi-faceted value. If Gillespie cannot consistently hold his own on the defensive end, he risks falling out of favor quickly. Modern playoff teams place a premium on two-way versatility, heavily scrutinizing anyone who struggles to guard their yard unless they are transcendent offensive talents.
Gillespie does flash a solid defensive profile for his size, utilizing quick lateral movement to hound opposing ball-handlers and disrupt passing lanes for steals. The ultimate question for his ceiling as a Spur is whether that defensive intensity and effectiveness can translate against the world’s elite athletes.
David Jones Garcia: Adapting to an Off-Ball Role
San Antonio’s roster is overflowing with high-usage playmakers who demand the ball in their hands. Fox, Harper, and Castle command major touches in the backcourt, while Wembanyama anchors the offense, and guards like Jordan McLaughlin and Gillespie add further depth to the rotation.
Historically, David Jones Garcia has functioned primarily as an on-ball creator. During his limited stint with the Spurs and extensive time in the G League, the vast majority of his possessions came as a pick-and-roll ball handler, with spot-up opportunities few and far between.
As currently constructed, San Antonio’s lineup simply has no room for another high-usage pick-and-roll guard. To see significant floor time, Jones Garcia must evolve his approach. Fortunately, dating back to his college days at Memphis and his early G League experience, he has proven to be a capable shooter. Leaning heavily into his catch-and-shoot three-pointer will be the key to unlocking regular minutes.
If Brown, Gillespie, and Jones Garcia successfully master these critical swing skills, they could easily emerge as hidden gems for a rising Spurs squad.
