What’s he up to as the postseason looms?

The NBA playoffs are right around the corner, and the San Antonio Spurs sit among the deepest, most versatile rosters in the league. Yet instead of locking in a playoff rotation like most coaches do at this stage, head coach Mitch Johnson is still tinkering — and the experiments are getting bold.

In recent weeks Johnson has leaned harder into small-ball units, a curious choice for a team that boasts two legitimate seven-foot anchors in Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet. While some of the changes are matchup-driven and make sense on paper, others have fans scratching their heads. The most eyebrow-raising five-man group spotted lately: De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie and Carter Bryant — with the 6-foot-8 Bryant sliding over to center.

On the surface it looks undersized. In reality, the Spurs are trading traditional height for elite perimeter length and athleticism. Fox, Castle and Dylan Harper give them three guards who can all handle the point and defend up a position. Keldon Johnson and Champagnie (both 6-foot-8) bring combo-forward versatility. Bryant is an explosive leaper who can guard multiple spots and crash the glass. Even Harrison Barnes, while not the most athletic, offers enough size at the four to switch defensively while spacing the floor with his shooting.

The Spurs suddenly have legitimate size at every position without ever putting a seven-footer on the floor. That kind of flexibility is rare — and Johnson deserves credit for exploring it while the games still matter.

But small ball should be a weapon, not the default plan

Here’s the catch: San Antonio’s competitive edge this season has been built on the twin towers. Wembanyama’s rim protection, switchability and gravity are generational. Kornet has carved out a valuable backup role with his shooting and solid defense. Playing extended minutes without at least one of them on the floor risks giving up the very thing that has made the Spurs so hard to score on.

Speed and extra spacing are nice, but they come at the cost of paint control. Unless the opponent is going ultra-small themselves, there’s almost no scenario in which the Spurs are better off mirroring that approach for long stretches. The rim protection and rebounding edge provided by Wemby and Kornet simply outweigh the marginal gains in pace.

Of course, small-ball lineups still have their place. Foul trouble, injuries, or specific playoff matchups could force Johnson’s hand, and having those units ready gives the Silver and Black valuable minutes of breathing room. Wembanyama’s playoff workload will almost certainly increase, and Kornet has earned trust as a reliable second big. The rotation should still revolve around them.

Johnson’s willingness to experiment shows confidence in his roster’s depth — a luxury most coaches would kill for. But as the postseason nears, the message should be clear: don’t stray too far from what got you here. The Spurs are built to dominate inside and out. Playing smaller just for the sake of it might look flashy, but it could prove dangerous when the games get tight and every possession matters.

The playoffs will test whether Johnson’s tinkering was genius or overthinking. For now, the safe bet is that the two seven-footers remain the foundation — with the small-ball units waiting in the wings as the perfect change-of-pace weapon.