The San Antonio Spurs will open their 2026 preseason on Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks with a three-guard starting lineup featuring De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson confirmed the unit, which also includes Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, will take the floor in the Frost Bank Center opener.
Johnson declined to say whether this lineup would carry into the regular season opener on October 20 against Oklahoma City. When asked if fans should read into the choice as a sign of things to come, he said, "I can answer that. They're still going to read into whatever they want to read into."
The decision to start Harper alongside Fox and Castle comes after Harper’s standout performance in the NBA Finals last season. Fox and Castle were starters last year, while Harper provided an impact off the bench. His Finals showing has prompted the Spurs to test the three-guard combination early in the preseason.
Harper was seen celebrating with fans after the rookies took part in karaoke at the Silver & Black Scrimmage on Sunday, October 4, at the Frost Bank Center, captured in photographs by Sam Owens for the San Antonio Express-News.
The Spurs enter the new season as the defending Western Conference champions. Coach Johnson’s choice to mix three guards in the starting lineup for the preseason opener signals a willingness to experiment with rotation configurations. Whether this trio will become a fixture remains unconfirmed.
The Hawks, meanwhile, will face a Spurs team eager to build on their recent playoff success. The presence of Wembanyama and Vassell alongside the three-guard unit adds size and versatility to the frontcourt. This lineup blends youth and experience and could alter how the Spurs approach both ends of the floor.
Thursday’s preseason game will provide the first live look at how this combination functions under real game conditions. Fans will watch closely to see if Harper can replicate his Finals form and how well Fox and Castle adapt to sharing the backcourt with him.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson’s remarks leave open the question of whether this is a permanent shift or an experimental move in preseason. The team’s official starting five against the Hawks is confirmed, but the regular season lineup remains to be seen.
According to Yahoo Sports.
