The Spurs are back in the gym, and the early buzz around Dylan Harper is already building.
ESPN’s Michael C. Wright offered a small but telling update on September 10, 2026, posting, “Hearing good things about D-Harp's progress... https://t.co/imCS6FM82r”
He didn’t spell out what has stood out most in Harper’s offseason work, but that only adds to the intrigue. When a reporter with Wright’s Spurs connections says he’s hearing positive things, it’s worth paying attention.
Harper’s rookie year gave the Spurs plenty to like. He averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in the regular season, then bumped that to 14/6/3/1 in the playoffs.
Those numbers would be solid for almost anyone; for a rookie who did it while shooting 50%+ efficiency, they look even better. His performance was strong enough that he’s currently tied with OKC’s Ajay Mitchell for the best odds to win Sixth Man of the Year, according to DraftKings.
He’s also listed as the favorite for Most Improved Player, though that label feels a little awkward given where he started. Harper was a top-2 pick and already entered the league with a higher baseline than most of his peers.
That award usually goes to the guy who comes out of nowhere. Harper never fit that mold.
Even with all that early success, there’s still a clear path for him to level up. Some of that will come naturally as he gets stronger, but the bigger leap is about sharpening the details.
He’s already a polished finisher and his pull-up game inside the arc is nasty, sitting at 50% from the field. The area that needs the most attention is the three-point shot, both on catch-and-shoot looks and pull-ups.
In today’s NBA, spacing matters too much to leave that unchecked.
There’s also room for him to grow as a playmaker. Harper is a fearless driver with the confidence to score over whoever is in front of him, and that aggressiveness is part of what makes him so dangerous.
But there are times when the better read is to move the ball and keep teammates engaged. That not only helps the offense flow, it forces defenses to cover the entire floor.
Beyond that, there isn’t a whole lot Harper needs to reinvent. He already rebounds and defends well, so the next step is more about maintaining those strengths while expanding his offensive package and handling a bigger workload. If he tightens up the three-point shot, makes cleaner playmaking decisions, and brings that same high-end effort possession after possession, the ceiling gets loud fast.
And if Wright is already hearing good things before training camp even begins, Spurs fans have plenty of reason to lean in.
In Other News...
Spurs Young Core Just Got Another Massive Vote Of Confidence
The leagues fascination with San Antonios young talent got another nudge this week when The Athletics three-writer exercise built out 10-player rosters made up entirely of players on rookie-scale contracts. Victor Wembanyama was the obvious centerpiece in that conversation, and the exercise only reinforced how quickly the Spurs have gone from a rebuild to a team that other observers now have to account for when they start mapping out the leagues next wave of stars.
Its the kind of backdrop that says as much about San Antonios trajectory as any single projection list. Between the draft speculation, the breakout-candidate chatter and the broader wave of player evaluation floating around the league, the Spurs keep showing up in conversations that normally belong to teams much farther along. The real question now is how far that respect extends once the conversation turns from upside to the kind of expectations that only come with winning. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Fans May Not Agree On This De'Aaron Fox Trade Idea
A new speculative trade idea has Spurs fans doing the kind of roster math that usually comes with a lot of second-guessing. Bleacher Report floated a massive deal involving De'Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet, plus draft picks and swaps, with the concept centered on how San Antonio could reshape its backcourt and add more long-term upside around the rest of the roster.
The wrinkle is that the proposal also sends Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray to San Antonio, which is where the debate really starts. The Spurs have not shown any interest in moving Fox, and nothing about this has moved beyond the hypothetical stage, but the idea does highlight how complicated the team's next big move could become if it ever decides to get aggressive. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A New Reason To Believe In Dylan Harpers Leap
Dylan Harper has given the Spurs plenty to feel good about already, and a recent offseason update only adds to the optimism around his next step. ESPNs Michael C. Wright reported encouraging signs on Harpers progress, a welcome bit of news for a second-year guard who turned in a strong rookie season and has already put himself in the conversation for both Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.
For San Antonio, the intrigue is less about whether Harper belongs and more about how high his ceiling goes from here. He showed enough in year one to matter right away, but the leap the Spurs are hoping for still comes down to refinement, especially in the areas that can turn a promising young guard into a much more complete one. [Read more 🡒]