Victor Wembanyama’s presence in the paint was a constant reminder of the Spurs’ new identity during the Western Conference Finals. In Game 5 on May 26, 2026, the 7-foot-4 center rose to block a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attempt, a visual that summed up a series the Spurs ultimately won in seven games. The upset forced every club in the West to ask how they could match a team built around a once-unthinkable size advantage.
The Oklahoma City Thunder answered the challenge by adding a 7-foot-3 center, Aday Mara, in the 2026 draft. The move is a direct attempt to neutralize the height gap that left the Thunder vulnerable against Wembanyama’s rim protection. Adding to the urgency, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander entered the offseason as the league’s back-to-back Most Valuable Player, a distinction that guarantees his focus on erasing the memory of a teary-eyed celebration on his home floor.
Across the conference, other contenders are reshaping their approaches. Minnesota’s Timberwolves, after confronting the Spurs’ height advantage, have abandoned a pure size-first strategy and are looking elsewhere for a counter-measure. Portland’s Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are reportedly assembling a quartet of point guards in an effort to out-maneuver the Spurs’ backcourt trio. The Golden State Warriors are contemplating a bold experiment: pairing the league’s oldest player with an already veteran-laden roster, a gamble that could either cement their “win-now” window or accelerate an aging decline.
Inside San Antonio, general manager Brian Wright is already planning for a summer of diversification. In a recent MIKE FINGER column, Wright emphasized the danger of both overreacting to a single series and assuming that defeated opponents will not return with upgraded plans. The Spurs’ front office appears poised to rely on internal development rather than a marquee free-agency splash, trusting that the core that carried them to the Finals can withstand the multiple fronts that will converge on San Antonio.
As free agency opens, the ripple effects of the Spurs’ breakthrough will shape roster moves throughout the West. The Thunder’s draft choice, the Timberwolves’ strategic pivot, the Blazers’ point-guard experiment, and the Warriors’ age-defying curiosity all signal a league in motion. While rivals craft their counter-strategies, San Antonio’s next chapter will likely be defined by how well its young core adapts to the heightened attention and whether its internal adjustments can keep the team competitive in a fiercely contested 2026-27 season.
San Antonio Spurs 
