Preseason Test: Spurs' Three-Guard Look Meets a Short-Handed Kings Frontcourt

San Antonio opens its preseason slate at home with a new lineup to test and a Kings team missing a big man.

SAC @ SAS Oct 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC

The Spurs host the Kings at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Oct. 16, at 5 p.m. local time, with the game on DAZN-SAS. It is preseason, so the results matter less than the answers, and San Antonio has plenty of questions it wants to explore.

The most notable involves the plan to start Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle together. That trio played just 69 minutes together last season and was outscored by 47 points, so this game is a chance to see whether the fit works better with more time and a defined role. Preseason is the right place to learn that, and a Kings team without much frontcourt certainty gives the Spurs a manageable opponent to start with.

Sacramento is without center Dylan Cardwell, who is out with a calf injury, and that thins its big-man depth. Tobias Harris is also listed as questionable with a calf issue, and several players on both rosters carry questionable tags for ankle, calf or rest reasons. Those statuses could scramble rotations on either side, though the Kings have fewer proven options to absorb losses inside.

The Spurs also have motivation. They are coming off a 4-1 Finals loss to the Knicks, and Victor Wembanyama has said the team won the West last year and wants the first seed this time. Even in an exhibition, that mindset should show up in their effort and focus.

Expect some sloppiness from the three-guard group, but San Antonio's size advantage around the rim and its sharper sense of purpose should carry the night. Prediction: Spurs 116, Kings 108.

All game reports