Dylan Harper already gave the Spurs plenty to like in his first season. The scoring was real, the downhill pressure was real, and the rookie carved out a meaningful role off the bench even in a crowded backcourt. But if San Antonio is going to get where it wants to go, the next jump has to come in the area that turns a good guard into a complete one: playmaking.
That’s the step Harper still needs to take. He entered a tough situation with De'Aaron Fox already in place as an All-Star and Stephon Castle coming off a Rookie Of The Year run, yet he still found his footing and became part of the Spurs’ future.
Now the challenge is bigger. The Spurs have championship aspirations, and Harper’s offensive growth is a major piece of that picture.
What makes the next leap so intriguing is how much he already does well. Last season, defenders had a hard time keeping him out of the paint.
He attacked, got downhill, and finished at the rim at an elite rate. That pressure forced help from the perimeter and created space for three-point looks.
Even with that, he averaged 3.9 assists in 22.6 minutes per night, which is a solid number for a rookie coming off the bench. Still, there’s another level waiting.
The clearest path is his work as a pick-and-roll operator. If Harper can become more polished there, the possibilities open up fast, especially with Victor Wembanyama involved in those actions.
That combination could create a ton of offensive options, but it will take patience and strong decision-making to make it sing. If he gets there, the Spurs’ offensive ceiling rises with him.
Harper already showed in the playoffs that he can handle the moment. He averaged 14.1 points per game on 51% shooting from the floor, then was one of San Antonio’s most dependable scorers in the Finals, putting up just over 18 points against New York. That kind of postseason production matters.
Still, the postseason is exactly where better playmaking can separate him even more. The game tightens up, ball handlers have to think faster and more carefully, and an improved feel as an orchestrator would help Harper manage that pressure. He has other areas to sharpen in his second season, but his ability to facilitate could be the swing skill that makes him a more complete offensive force and makes the Spurs that much harder to defend.
In Other News...
Spurs Fans May Have Finally Found The Rookie They Wanted
San Antonios first-round addition is drawing attention for all the right reasons, and not because he is arriving with a scoring-heavy reputation. Tarris Reed Jr. sounds ready to lean into the kind of role Spurs fans have long appreciated from their big men: defend, rebound, set hard screens and bring a physical edge every time he steps on the floor. In his first comments, Reed made clear he is comfortable doing the dirty work and letting effort, toughness and consistency define his early place in the rotation.
There is also a certain Spurs-specific appeal in the way Reed talks about the job ahead, with respect for the franchises standard and a willingness to earn everything that comes next. He has already begun taking in the culture around him, and the next part of the adjustment will be turning that mindset into real minutes and real impact. For a team that values discipline and detail, Reeds approach gives them a rookie who sounds built for the unglamorous parts of winning. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Are Waiting For Carter Bryant To Show Something Bigger
After his rookie season, Carter Bryant came back to the Spurs Summer League group with a chance to do more than just get extra reps. San Antonio wants him using this stretch to grow into a steadier presence, and coach Corliss Williamson has been clear that the next step is not only about talent, but about becoming more vocal and more reliable as the game speeds up around him.
Bryants development is still being treated as a longer-term project, even as the Spurs expect his role to expand next season. For now, the focus is on sharpening the parts of his game that can help him command more trust, especially in live action where decision-making and tone-setting matter as much as the shots he takes. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs May Have Finally Found The Young Big They Were Missing
The Spurs spent part of the offseason trying to patch a center rotation that left too much to be desired a year ago, and rookie Tarris Reed Jr. is quickly becoming the most interesting part of that effort. He is in Summer League now, but the organizations decision to trade up for him on draft night says plenty about how strongly it views his chances to help, especially as a physical interior presence who can set screens, clean the glass and give the offense a more traditional big-man option.
For San Antonio, the appeal is not just that Reed fits a need, but that he may fit it early. The Spurs have been searching for size they can trust behind their core, and Reeds path to real minutes could be clearer than most rookies if he keeps showing the same kind of steady, blue-collar value in Las Vegas. There is still another young big in the mix, but his situation adds a layer of uncertainty the Spurs would rather not have to lean on right away. [Read more 🡒]