The Spurs announced they have assigned Carter Bryant to their Austin G League affiliate. The 14th pick in the 2025 draft will be available for the game against the South Bay Lakers on Friday.
Bryant, 20,
was selected in the first round by the Spurs despite not playing a starring role in his sole season in Arizona. The young wing was expected to be a worthwhile project due to his athletic tools and positional size at the wing. Somewhat surprisingly, he found himself on the edges of the rotation for stretches as a rookie despite lacking polish, especially on the offensive end, but he only averaged a shade over seven minutes per game. In his limited playing time, he struggled to shoot with any efficiency and couldn’t make up for it on the other end, with the Spurs routinely getting outscored with him on the court.
Despite not producing at the NBA level, Bryant remains an intriguing prospect who could really benefit from some seasoning in the G League. Standing at 6’6, with a 6’11 wingspan and a high motor, he projects to be a plus defender. His shot has not been falling, but his form doesn’t seem broken, and he connected on 37 percent of his three-point attempts in college. The outline of a useful 3-and-D wing is clearly there, and getting more run with the Austin Spurs could accelerate his development. He needs to improve his floor game to reach his ceiling, and having the freedom to try things on the ball in the affiliate should also help in that area.
At this point, it’s unclear whether he’ll have a long stint in the G League or will be recalled and assigned when the schedule and injuries allow. Jeremy Sochan has been getting minutes lately and will likely play the small role Bryant was filling if the rookie stays with the affiliate for a while, which seems like the smart decision.
Bryant is averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.6 minutes a game this season in the NBA. He’s slated to make his G League debut on Friday.
