SAN ANTONIO – With the NBA free agency negotiating window set to open at 5 p.m. on Monday, the San Antonio Spurs are focusing on the center market to improve their roster around superstar Victor Wembanyama.
Four standard contract players, including veteran point guard Chris Paul, are hitting the open market, and the Spurs are targeting two big men — Guerschon Yabusele and Luke Kornet — to address the team’s frontcourt needs.
After a 34-48 season derailed by Wembanyama’s absence due to a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis, San Antonio is working towards ending a six-year playoff drought. The team returns De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Harrison Barnes, along with 2025 draft picks Dylan Harper (No. 2) and Carter Bryant (No. 14), plus reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.
With last season’s trade of Zach Collins and the unknown of Sandro Mamukelashvili hitting free agency, the Spurs’ frontcourt is thin, prompting a push for versatile bigs.
Yabusele, a 6-foot-8 French forward and unrestricted free agent, is a prime target, per Jake Fischer of the Stein Line.
Yabusele, who teamed up with Wembanyama on France’s silver-medal-winning squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics, outperformed expectations with the Philadelphia 76ers last season. He averaged 11 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 50.1% from the field and 38% from three over 70 games.
At 260 pounds, Yabusele’s physicality and ability to play power forward or small-ball center make him a seamless fit alongside Wembanyama, offering floor-spacing and defensive grit.
However, the Spurs aren’t alone in their pursuit.
The 76ers, despite a 24-58 season and cap constraints limiting them, are pushing hard to retain Yabusele.
The Milwaukee Bucks are also in the mix, but San Antonio’s $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception gives them an edge.
Wembanyama’s presence could be the ultimate recruiting tool, leveraging their Olympic chemistry to lure Yabusele to the Alamo City.
San Antonio is also reportedly eyeing Boston’s 7-foot-1 center Luke Kornet, a budget-friendly option to anchor the paint.
The 29-year-old averaged six points, 5.3 rebounds, and shot 67.0% from the field in 73 games last season, proving his value as a rim-protecting backup.
His playoff heroics, including a seven-block, 10-point, nine-rebound outburst against the Knicks, highlight his upside.
With Kornet earning less than $3 million annually in recent years, he’s a low-cost, high-impact fit for a Spurs team balancing ambition with financial flexibility.
As free agency approaches, the Spurs remain focused on making a push for a playoff return in 2026, led by first-time head coach Mitch Johnson.
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