He's only 24 years old and can count his years in the Alamo City on one hand. Yet, Keldon Johnson is the longest-tenured San Antonio Spur and the oldest member of what would be considered their core. He headed into this past season as the Spurs' leading scorer. He heads into the offseason as a reserve.
About a third of the way into the 2023-2024 campaign, the fifth-year Spur was moved to the bench for the first time since his rookie season. At the time, coach Gregg Popovich talked about the need for a spark from the second unit. Johnson agreed, expressing a sentiment that would almost become a personal rallying cry for the rest of the season. The former Kentucky Wildcat would consistently utter that he'd do “whatever the team needed” or, similarly, would do “what was best for the team.”
In his last meeting with the media, Johnson's status as the team's key sixth man came up one more time. But, perhaps, for the first time, the 2019 first-round pick publicly admitted that a transition out of the starting lineup wasn't as seamless as he had let on.
“It's tough. If I was to say it was OK, you know what I mean, I'd be lying.”
“It was definitely an adjustment for me, but I roll with the punches and do what my team and my coaches need me to do for us to win,” the Spurs forward added as he wrapped with a familiar refrain.
Keldon Johnson adapts to new Spurs role
Keldon Johnson actually ended the season on the bench — as in not playing at all. As was the case with most of the best players on the team because of injury. Though KJ wasn't ruled out for the remainder of the year as Devin Vassell and Jeremy Socham were, he might as well have been. Because of a sprained left foot, his last game came on April 6, a full week before the Spurs' season ended.
It was a year that saw his scoring average drop by around seven points per game, getting 15.7 per contest after he led the team with 22 per in 2022-23. Interestingly enough, none of the other stats dipped for the 2019 29th overall pick. In fact, most slightly improved. While his assists per night went from 2.9 to 2.8 and his steals average stayed the same, his rebounding went up from 5.0 to 5.5. As did his shooting, 45.2% to 45.4% from the field and from 32.9% to 34.6% on three-point attempts. He turned the ball over less and, by a fraction, blocked more shots.
Still, his playing time decreased some.
“It was definitely tough,” Johnson continued to admit. “It's hard because it was hard to adjust. It was tough.”
His 29.5 minutes per contest, down three minutes from the season before, were fourth on the team this past season. His 15 and a half points ranked third.
“I knew that that was going to be a part of it. I continued to fight, just continued to fight and do whatever my teammates need me to do, my coaches need me to do to put this team in the best situation to be successful.”
A familiar expression. And, for now, Keldon Johnson's reality.
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