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What to expect from the Spurs' opening night starting lineup

Coach Popovich plans to roll with Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Jakob Poeltl, with Josh Primo coming off the bench.

SAN ANTONIO — With the San Antonio Spurs set to embark on a rebuilding season, head coach Gregg Popovich seems to have settled on his starters—at least for opening night.

After practice on Monday, Pop confirmed to reporters that the plan is to roll with a lineup of Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Jakob Poeltl. It's what he went with in the last two preseason games. So what can we expect from these guys, both individually and as a group? And why not start Josh Primo? 

Let's break it down, player by player, then talk about what they'll all look like together.

Tre Jones

Credit: AP
San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) drives past Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., left, during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

In most years, the 22-year-old Jones would not be a starter or a veteran for the Spurs. But this is not most years. Jones has the distinction of being the one true, traditional point guard on this roster. 

The Duke product played about 17 minutes per game for San Antonio last season, averaging 6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds as he backed up Dejounte Murray. This preseason, he's up to 10, 3 and 4. The numbers certainly won't blow you away, and neither will his 6'1" frame, but neither of those things are the reason he's the starter.

"Corporate knowledge" is at an all-time low for San Antonio, and Jones will bring at least a bit of it to an important position as he enters his third season in the league. One witty fan described the unit bookended by Jones and Poeltl as the "training wheels lineup," and that's a good way to think about it.

Jones will be a steady hand that sets the table for his teammates and provides stability for the others. He knows how to run the offense and get guys in their spots, and he always brings gritty effort on the defensive end. He's the guy who sets the table and settles things down for one of the league's most inexperienced rosters.

The word around training camp was that whatever group Jones led in the scrimmage wound up winning. Primo has more size and raw upside, but Jones is the more seasoned point guard right now, and that will be valuable for the other starters as they focus on growing their games.

One question about Jones heading into this year is his three-point shooting. Last year he was not strong in that area, hitting under 20% of his rare attempts. This preseason provided a limited sample size, but he hit 4-10 from deep and shot more per game than he ever has. If he can at least force defenses to respect that shot, it will give the other guys more space to create.

Devin Vassell

Credit: AP
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Also entering year three, many believe Vassell is poised for a breakout season. Drafted as a 3-and-D wing, he's been working on his ability to create his own offense. On a team this lacking in terms of star power, he'll have more opportunity than ever to give it a go.

Vassell started less than half of the games he played last year, and most came after the Spurs sent Derrick White to Boston. After the All Star break, he scored 14 points per game and attempted 6 triples per game, hitting 39%.

At his floor, Vassell will be able to use his quick feet and 6'10" wingspan to be a disruptor on the defensive end. He should be a reliable catch-and-shoot guy, though he had a rough preseason in that department.

At his ceiling? Well, that's what the Spurs are hoping to find out. He has an intriguing bag of tricks, and he'll be encouraged to reach into it more and more. He loves the spinning step-back jumper made popular by Penny Hardaway, and his handle looks tighter than it did last year.

Expect a bump to his overall numbers, and hope for a playmaking leap.

Keldon Johnson

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SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 14: Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays defense on Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game on March 14, 2022 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

Much like Vassell, Johnson is looking to build on a strong year by adding some more creation off the dribble. The Olympic gold medalist is a year further along in his development, and figures to be a go-to scorer for this offense.

The big body has slimmed down substantially – by 21 pounds to be exact – and that should make him a bit quicker as he shifts down to his more natural position at small forward. He'll probably be attacking the rim a bit more, and should still be able to switch a good amount defensively.

Johnson signed a four-year contract extension after last season, when he averaged 17 points per game and became a three-point deadeye at 40% on five attempts per game.

Most of those shots were open catch-and-shoot looks. As defenses key in on him more this year, he may not get as many high-quality shots. He'll also be asked to create a bit more. In the preseason, Johnson mostly initiated the offense out of dribble handoffs. That action should give him a fair amount of those easy threes, while also setting him up to get downhill in pick and roll if the shot isn't there.

Much like Vassell, expect his stats to rise and keep an eye on how well he handles the increased playmaking responsibility.

Jeremy Sochan

Credit: AP
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The Spurs haven't started a rookie on opening night since Tim Duncan made his debut 25 years ago. At 19 years old, the ninth pick in this year's draft is a considerably less refined prospect than the Big Fundamental was back then.

San Antonio is hoping that the 6'9" international man of mystery can eventually maximize his offensive potential, but he should be able to have an immediate impact on the defensive end.

The Baylor product could become one of the few players in the NBA who can defend every position at a high level. As a starter, he'll have an opportunity to test his mettle against the best competition in the world as a teenager. 

Offensively he's still very much a work in progress, but that progress should be fun to watch as well. How quickly can he develop his jump shot? How many flashes of his playmaking ability will we see? Even if that part is slow, he should be able to impact the offense by setting good screens, finishing at the rim, and giving the team extra possessions and points on the glass.

The kid is young and raw, but he's also big, strong, skilled and smart. For now, he's a gritty glue guy with a ton of potential. Pop is hoping that the opportunity to start will help him develop toward that potential.

"It's a whole new world for him," Pop said at practice on Monday. "But he's got all the tools to do very well there, so we just want to throw him in the frying pan and see how he does."

Jakob Poeltl

Credit: AP
San Antonio Spurs center Jakob Poeltl (25) drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors center Khem Birch (24) and guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Anchoring this lineup is the longest-tenured Spur in Jakob Poeltl. At 26, he's ancient by the standards of this roster, but that's not a bad thing. At Media Day, Popovich compared his quiet veteran leadership for this group to what Tim Duncan did for those championship teams. 

The 7'1" center is one of the league's best rim protectors and screen setters, and will undoubtedly draw trade interest as the season progresses. In the meantime, he'll provide a rock-solid foundation for these kids to grow their games.

On defense, he'll be able to clean up all sorts of youthful mistakes. Offensively he'll act as a hub, not only opening guys up with his picks, but also making reads and passes in dribble handoff situations. He'll also continue to be a threat to finish at the cup.

Any improvement to his free throw shooting would be a welcome development. Don't expect him to start jacking up threes, but he did take and make a few mid-range jumpers in the preseason.

Josh Primo

Credit: AP
Oklahoma City Thunder's Tre Mann (23) tries to defend San Antonio Spurs' Josh Primo (11) past a screen by Keita Bates-Diop during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in San Antonio. Oklahoma City won 118-112. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

There was some speculation heading into the season that the 19-year-old Primo might get thrown into the fire as the starting point guard. Instead he'll be quarterbacking the second unit, at least for now.

Primo was more of an off-ball threat in his lone season at Alabama, but the Spurs want to develop his playmaking upside. He's 6'6" and ambidextrous, and in limited preseason action he showed speed, poise and confidence when putting the ball on the floor.

Coming off the bench might allow Primo more of an opportunity to hone those point guard skills. Vassell and Johnson will be getting theirs, and Josh Richardson, Doug McDermott, Keita Bates-Diop, and Zach Collins are not known for creating their own shots. Plus, he'll be matched up against weaker defenders.

It's the Manu Ginobili super sub role, and just because he won't be starting the games doesn't mean he won't be finishing them. Likewise, just because he isn't starting now doesn't mean he won't be by the end of the year. Both will be worth monitoring throughout the season.

As a unit

Put it all together, and there's a lot to like about how these players fit together. The training wheels of Jones and Poeltl will simplify things greatly for everyone else as Vassell and Johnson reach for their ceilings. The pair of teenagers should each get ample opportunity to grow their respective games.

With no ball-dominant star the offense will probably be a bit rough, especially if both Jones and Sochan struggle to space the floor alongside Poeltl. The Spurs know that, though, and that means we'll probably see a lot of creativity and teamwork to help overcome that deficiency. They'll also look to get out and run in transition, attacking before the defense can get set.

Scoring might not always be there for this team, but they should be able to hang their hat on their defense. As individuals these players are competitive and determined on that end of the floor, and as a unit they should be able to switch a lot.

Will they win a lot of games? Probably not. But growth is the main goal this season, and this group should be able to do a whole lot of that.

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