3 players who could break into Spurs starting lineup
No. 2 player who could break into Spurs starting lineup: Reggie Bullock
The Spurs also took advantage of the Grant Williams sign-and-trade between Dallas and Boston, acquiring Reggie Bullock’s expiring $10.5 million contract for pennies on the dollar. Bullock will undoubtedly factor into Popovich’s plans as a proven vet with the perfect complementary skill set.
Bullock will help the Spurs on both ends. The 32-year-old can still guard his position and provide some versatility on the wing at 6-foot-6. On the offensive end, Bullock is a bankable spot-up shooter who is prolific beyond the arc (38.0 percent on 5.1 attempts per game last season). He moves comfortably without the basketball and he doesn’t soak up much oxygen on offense. His ability to space the floor for Wembanyama and to make rapid-fire decisions in the flow of the game could make him the perfect fifth starter if San Antonio decides to go smaller.
Last season, San Antonio was a bottom-five team in 3-point percentage and bottom-eight in 3-point volume. Bullock doesn’t have a very complicated game, but he stretches defenses with his presence and he will have a healthy volume of shots at the rim every night. He played 30.3 minutes per game with Dallas last season. The Spurs are deeper and his minutes will inevitably decrease — whether he’s starting or not — but his approach won’t deviate. Bullock is pleasantly efficient at the rim too. Wemby is willing and able to find cutters with a pass, as he showed in his brief Summer League stint. The Spurs will empower their No. 1 pick to create for teammates, which means surrounding him with players who properly accentuate him.
Bullock doesn’t provide the same offensive variety as a player like Osman, and the Spurs probably have a better pure shooter in Doug McDermott. That said, neither can defend at Bullock’s level while providing well above-average results from beyond the arc. The Spurs are a young team and the standings will ultimately determine the extent to which Popovich relies on his vets, but Bullock is a starting-caliber wing with a very clear path to utility in San Antonio.