Spurs waive Courtney Fells, Dan Nwaelele; Roster at 14

The San Antonio Spurs will start the regular season with the roster at 14. The team announced it waived Courtney Fells and Dan Nwaelele, its final two camp invites. While all five invites appeared to be long shots to make the team, it seemed like there might be a place for Fells after he outlasted Sam Young and Corey Maggette. However, the Spurs don't typically head into the regular season with 15 players on the roster. Don't rule out seeing either start the season in Austin.

So now the competition for minutes takes center stage. We can assume the following 10 players are going to get significant playing time:

PG: Tony Parker, Cory Joseph

SG: Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Marco Belinelli

SF: Kawhi Leonard

PF: Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw

C: Tiago Splitter, Matt Bonner

Jeff Ayres and Aron Baynes have both had good preseasons and may give the Spurs enough depth to trade either Diaw or Bonner's expiring contract at the deadline, but for the moment they appear to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the rotation. If you assume, as I do, that Joseph is running the second unit with Ginobili and Bellinelli, then that means Patty Mills is the third-string point guard and Nando De Colo is in street clothes. Whether Mills, Baynes or Ayres joins Nando in a sports coat will likely depend on match ups, the need for rest, and injuries.

The other issue, which I'm sure we will all spend plenty of time talking about throughout the season, is the fact that Marco and Manu are now the team's backup small forwards. Do with that what you will.