Spurs receive surprising placement in Bleacher Reports starting lineup rankings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Following their first NBA Finals appearance since 2014, the San Antonio Spurs are widely considered to be one of the NBAs top contenders entering the 202627 season. However, some questions may remain regarding the Spurs starting lineup.Bleacher Reports Greg Swartz released his latest starting lineup rankings Sunday, and San Antonios projected starting five ranked just No. 6 overall. The top five teams on the list were as follows:Philadelphia 76ersOklahoma City ThunderNew York KnicksIndiana PacersDenver NuggetsSwartzs projected starting lineup for San Antonio featured DeAaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Victor Wembanyama. The group was the most commonly used combination by Mitch Johnson last season, and the Spurs were 213 in games where that five started.Swartz highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the group, particularly in the backcourt. He pointed to Castle and Dylan Harper as representing "the backcourt of the future" for the Spurs but noted that current starting point guard De'Aaron Fox "may not like the idea of being a sixth man." He also wrote that recent free agent addition Tobias Harris could challenge Champagnie for the starting power forward role.While its understandable why some of those teams were ranked ahead of San Antonio, critics of the ranking could point to the Spurs run to the NBA Finals last season as evidence they should have been ranked higher. The teams ranked ahead of San Antonio are all extremely talented and have compelling cases for their spots on the list. However, several of them will also have to reintegrate key starters who missed significant time due to injuries, including Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun for Denver, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams for Oklahoma City, and Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith for Indiana.With Wembanyama leading the way, the Spurs have one of the leagues highest ceilings. Their overall rotation is undoubtedly a strength, with pieces like Harper and Harris set to have huge roles regardless of their starting status. Whether San Antonios starting five remains the same or evolves throughout the season, the Spurs appear poised to contend for a title, making their ranking one of the more debatable placements on the list.MORE San Antonio Spurs News:Spurs receive strong marks for offseason moves as championship pursuit continuesVictor Wembanyamas status for FIBA qualifiers revealed ahead of 202627 NBA seasonVictor Wembanyama joins NBA 2K history with reported cover athlete selectionKarl-Anthony Towns reveals why he said Victor Wembanyama can't guard him in theFinals