Dylan Harper is making a strong early case that San Antonio hadn’t really let him off the leash before.
Through the opening stretch, the Spurs guard is putting up 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, and the numbers are backed up by the kind of aggressive play that hints at much more to come. What’s changed is opportunity. After coach Mitch Johnson made the surprise call to start Harper with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Harper has been logging 31.5 minutes per game, a jump from 22.6 last season.
That extra run has opened the door to a very different version of Harper. Instead of flashes, he’s getting a real platform, and he’s using it. If he keeps scoring in the 18-to-20-point range, he won’t just look like a Most Improved Player candidate; he could also become a major reason San Antonio keeps climbing.
The Spurs’ three-guard setup gives defenses a problem they don’t want. Fox, Castle and Harper can all put pressure on the rim, which is enough on its own to force difficult decisions. But Harper adds another layer because he brings a level of uncertainty that makes the offense harder to map out.
Victor Wembanyama is still the first name defenses have to account for, with Fox and Castle next in line. That still leaves Harper as the player who can punish whatever’s left over. He makes it difficult for opponents to stash their weakest defender somewhere safe.
That was part of the issue for the Knicks in the NBA Finals. It did not end the way the Spurs would have wanted, but Harper still averaged 18 points per game off the bench against New York.
For San Antonio, the fit is obvious. Teams rarely have more than a couple of perimeter defenders who can really hold up, and Harper is already showing he knows how to attack that weakness. He’s been assertive, he’s been getting downhill, and even though his outside shot has lagged so far this season, he keeps finding his way to the rim.
If the jumper starts falling, the ceiling changes fast. Harper could start looking like the Spurs’ second-best player. That may not happen this season, but what he’s shown already says plenty: there’s still a lot more in the tank, and this year he finally looks free to show it.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Tough Decision Behind Wembanyama
The Spurs are still sorting through the early-season edges of their rotation, and the center minutes behind Victor Wembanyama are already drawing attention after two home losses in the first three games. Mitch Johnson singled out rookie Tarris Reed Jr. for the energy and defense he brought against Dallas, a useful sign for a team trying to find steadier footing when Wembanyama rests.
Luke Kornet entered the season looking like part of that backup equation, but Reeds early showing gives San Antonio a different kind of option to consider. If the Spurs want more resistance and activity in those non-Wembanyama stretches, the frontcourt mix may not stay fixed for long, and that is the sort of decision that can shape not just a game, but the rhythm of an entire rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Upgrade Around Wembanyama
Injuries to Anthony Edwards and Jalen Williams have turned the Spurs roster-building conversations into something more immediate, and it has them looking at ways to sharpen the group around Victor Wembanyama. The appeal is obvious: San Antonio needs more defense and more dependable shooting, and the kind of upgrades that once felt like long-shot ideas suddenly feel more plausible when the market shifts.
Two names that surface in those discussions are PJ Washington and Royce ONeale, each offering a different fit for what the Spurs are trying to build. Washington would bring frontcourt versatility, while ONeale would add another wing who can defend and space the floor, but neither idea is simple, and any move would still depend on player availability and approvals before it goes anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A New Frost Bank Center Feel Players Are Talking About
The Frost Bank Center has a different look these days, and it is the kind of arena tweak players tend to notice right away. San Antonio has installed a new lighting system that puts more emphasis on the court while dimming the seating areas, bringing the building in line with what many other NBA venues already do.
Luke Kornet has already picked up on the change and talked about how it alters the atmosphere inside the building, giving games a sharper focus once the lights go down. Coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, has not made much of the adjustment himself, which only adds to the sense that this is one of those subtle arena changes that matters more to the people on the floor than the people running the team. [Read more 🡒]