In order to completely understand the moves a team makes the timeline of events must be listed as well.
Pre Draft
Spurs waive Devonte' Graham's partial guaranteed contract saving nearly 10 million in salary
Trading Keldon Johnson to the Raptors for Bruce Brown
Explanation: Spurs get out of the contract they signed Johnson to for one year of Bruce Brown. He adds a little defense, playmaking, and most importantly experience winning.
Draft
Pick 4 the Spurs select Nikola Topić
Pick 8 the Spurs select Reed Sheppard
Pick 35 the Spurs select Ajay Mitchell
Pick 48 the Spurs select Jaxson Robinson
Spurs take the predictable route of selecting Topic. They double down on improving playmaking by taking Reed Sheppard. They then triple down on guard play by taking Mitchell but then add some shooting with Robinson. Their philosophy here could be called the shotgun approach hoping that one of these picks hits and they now have a playmaker that fits long term.
Free Agency
The Spurs top target is a backup big man in Goga Bitadze to a 4 year 32 million dollar deal. This comes with a team option in the final year of the deal.
Waiving Charles Bassey's non-guaranteed contract
This leaves the Spurs with a full 15 man roster, over the salary floor, and just under the salary cap.
Start of Season
Starting lineup:
Topic
Vassell
Brown
Sochan
Wembanyama
The bench has a lot more youth all over the place. Tre Jones comes in as the primary leader of the team with Blake Wesley trying to pick up where he ended the year. Julian Champagnie starts the year as the other primary wing. Goga and Zach Collins both get time in the front court with Wemby but also playing together.
During the season
While the team is very clearly improved the record doesn't show it early on. Topic struggles a bit getting used to the athleticism and length in the NBA which has Pop move him to the bench for Tre Jones. This results in a nice 5 game win streak and surge from Wembanyama offensively. Reed Sheppard slowly gets more and more minutes taking them from Wesley and Champagnie. Bruce Brown plays so well the Spurs seriously consider extending him. The combination of Wembanyama, Goga, Sochan, Sheppard, and Trey Jones ends as a top 10 lineup.