Spurs Injury News: Who's Playing, Who's Not, Who's Left?

The San Antonio Spurs provided a few updates on key players dealing with injuries, paving the way for a more complete lineup in the coming games and weeks.

Matt Guzman | Nov 23, 2024

Nov 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) and center Victor Wembanyama (1) on the bench during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

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San Antonio Spurs

SAN ANTONIO — The most recent iteration of the San Antonio Spurs' injury report featured seven players with various ailments and statuses.

David Duke Jr., Harrison Ingram, Riley Minix, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama made up the list, and while some of them (the former three) are simply out on assignment with the Austin Spurs, the other four are more consequential.

Ahead of hosting the Golden State Warriors, there were some major updates provided on each player, and in a welcome turn of events for the young team, many were positive.

Johnson is questionable for Saturday's contest, and will likely be back in the lineup regularly in the games to follow, should he make his return. If not, there aren't any major concerns that would keep him sidelined for an extended period of time.

Sochan is making "great progress" in practice. Saturday, he was seen getting one-on-one work in near the rim with an assistant coach and is already back to dunking. If all goes according to plan, he could make his return as early as mid-December.

Vassell, who's dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee, won't play against the Warriors and will likely miss the Spurs' road game against the Utah Jazz, but following those games, he's expected to get back up and running.

San Antonio is simply choosing to err on the side of caution, prioritizing his "long-term" health.

Nov 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) shoots in the second half against the Utah Jazz at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

As for Wembanyama, the second-year big man is likely to make his return against Steph Curry and Golden State — making for an Olympic rematch — barring any post-nap soreness.

He's missed the last three games along with Vassell after colliding with Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis and heading to the locker room shortly after, but is also expected to be back in the lineup consistently moving forward.

With the reinforcements on the way, San Antonio can continue to build on what's already been a much stronger season than a year ago, though in the time being, it's remaining steadfast.

The Spurs know they have to win games, and as veteran center Zach Collins put it, missing players is not an excuse.

"We've got a lot of competitive guys," Collins said. "We don't look at it as guys are out. We look at it as we have to win games. Our goal is to be in the playoffs, so we're trying to win at all costs."

The Spurs tipoff against the Warriors at Frost Bank Center at 7:30 p.m. Central.

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Published Nov 23, 2024

MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.