What happened: The same five that started the last preseason game will start opening night. Dylan Harper joins De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle in the three-guard alignment. The group debuted together this preseason and looked disjointed at times.

Why it matters: The decision commits San Antonio to playmaking and pace over size to open the 2026-27 season. It settles the rotation hierarchy after weeks of preseason experimentation. Opening-night minutes will test whether spacing offsets the defensive tradeoffs.

What to watch: Watch the opener for rotation patterns and closing combinations. Final preseason reps will show adjustments before games count.