Heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, the San Antonio Spurs have developed an interesting habit of taking a closer look at players with recent ties to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ developmental system.
Former Lakers G League standout RJ Davis represented the Spurs during Summer League and has since earned a place on San Antonio’s training camp roster after the organization acquired his returning G League player rights.
Veteran guard Jon Elmore is also in camp with the Spurs after spending his summer representing Los Angeles.
Now, another familiar name has emerged in center Malik Williams.
Lakers Could Lose Another Piece of G League Frontcourt
Williams only joined the Lakers organization midway through last season, when G League affiliate South Bay acquired him from the College Park Skyhawks following Kylor Kelley‘s departure to pursue an opportunity in the Philippines.
Los Angeles made a notable investment to complete the move, sending College Park two future first-round G League draft picks in 2026 and 2027.
Despite that price, Williams’ stint within the Lakers’ developmental system could ultimately last little more than half a season.
The 27-year-old represented the Chicago Bulls during Summer League, providing an early indication that his future could lie elsewhere. He has since surfaced on San Antonio’s training camp roster, giving the Spurs an opportunity to evaluate him ahead of the new season.
A move to the Spurs G League affiliate will be the likely option for Williams, although his situation remains different from Davis’.
San Antonio has not yet acquired the 6-foot-11 center’s returning player rights from the Lakers.
Such rights routinely change hands through G League transactions, however, meaning another trade could potentially follow if the Spurs want to keep Williams within their developmental system.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are already entering a new era at the G League level.
South Bay has relocated and rebranded as the Coachella Valley Lakers ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, with the roster expected to look considerably different from the group that made a postseason run last year.
Williams, Kelley, and Drew Timme all provided significant frontcourt production at different stages of last season. This year, recent addition William Kyle III and returning forward Anton Watson could take on greater responsibility.
Lakers Already Have Intriguing Replacement Waiting in Wings
Despite arriving midway through last season, Williams quickly established himself as an important part of South Bay’s frontcourt rotation.
Across 17 appearances, he averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks while adding an intriguing perimeter dimension to his game.
Williams connected on 36.9% of his three-point attempts while taking six per contest, giving South Bay a floor-spacing option at center alongside his interior production.
With Williams potentially heading elsewhere, Kyle is among the players who could benefit from the changing frontcourt picture.
The 6-foot-9 center completed a four-year collegiate career at Syracuse, averaging 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks across 32 games as a senior.
Despite being undersized for a traditional center, Kyle established himself as one of the nation’s premier rim protectors, finishing inside the top 10 nationally with 81 blocked shots.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Kyle worked out for as many as 11 NBA teams before the 2026 draft, with the Lakers ultimately beating out the Spurs, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Boston Celtics to sign him.
That competition makes Kyle an especially intriguing addition to Los Angeles’ developmental system, particularly with the Lakers potentially losing several familiar faces from last season’s frontcourt.
The transition from South Bay to Coachella Valley is becoming far more than a simple relocation and rebrand. Los Angeles is reshaping the roster around another wave of young talent, and Kyle could have an early opportunity to establish himself as one of the central pieces of that new-look group.
Spurs Poach 6-Foot-11 Center From Lakers Ahead of New Season