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Spurs commit to three-guard look on opening night – Southwest Division roundup
With no games on the schedule, the Southwest Division was busy off the court as the Spurs confirmed a three-guard starting lineup and several teams made final roster cuts.
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There were no games in the Southwest Division yesterday, but it was anything but quiet off the floor. San Antonio locked in an unusual opening-night starting five, while Dallas, Houston, Memphis and New Orleans all trimmed their rosters ahead of the regular season.
Spurs roll with three-guard starting unit and pick up options
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed Friday that he’ll open the season with a three-guard lineup, according to Hoops Rumors, citing Michael C. Wright of ESPN. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper will share the backcourt and wing minutes alongside Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama. As CBS Sports points out, that alignment raises questions about Fox’s exact role in the new setup.
San Antonio also took care of some rookie-scale housekeeping. Per Hoops Rumors, the Spurs exercised their fourth-year team option on Stephon Castle and third-year options on Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant for the 2027/28 season, underscoring their long-term commitment to that young core.
Mavericks secure Flagg, shuffle backcourt depth
In Dallas, the Mavericks exercised their third-year rookie-scale option on Cooper Flagg for 2027/28, the team announced in a release relayed by Hoops Rumors. The move keeps Flagg under team control for at least two more seasons beyond this one.
Dallas also cut into its perimeter depth. According to Hoops Rumors, the Mavericks waived guards Seth Lundy and John Poulakidas. Lundy was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, while Poulakidas occupied one of the team’s three two-way slots.
Rockets, Pelicans and Grizzlies finalize camp decisions
The Rockets waived three camp invitees, per Hoops Rumors: wing Bryce Harris, forward Cameron Matthews and guard Caleb McConnell. All three were on Exhibit 10 contracts and are expected to land with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate.
In New Orleans, the Pelicans waived Kobe Bufkin and Jalon Moore, Hoops Rumors reports. The moves bring the club down to the regular-season roster limit. Bufkin, the 15th pick in the 2023 draft by Atlanta, had been looking to jump-start his career with the Pelicans.
Memphis also made a minor cut. The Grizzlies waived forward Zach Cleveland, who was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, according to Hoops Rumors. The team now sits at 20 players under contract—17 on standard deals and three on two-way contracts—as it weighs final decisions before opening night.