Dylan Harper’s second-half surge in his rookie season has already stirred plenty of buzz, but the Spurs don’t appear ready to hand him De’Aaron Fox’s job. That’s the read from Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who said in a mailbag column that San Antonio is better off keeping its current guard setup intact.
Harper, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, made his biggest impact coming off the bench during the team’s run to the NBA Finals. Weiss noted that there’s a leaguewide belief Harper could eventually grow into a top-10 player, but that kind of leap depends on steady minutes.
Fox remains locked in as the starter. The 28-year-old put together an All-Star season before an injury cut into his effectiveness in the playoffs, and he signed a four-year maximum extension last summer.
Weiss said Fox has the “nuance” needed to steer a team, something Harper and Stephon Castle still have to develop. His view is that Mitch Johnson should keep the rotation as is, while leaning more often into closing lineups that feature all three guards together.
There’s also a clear sense around the Spurs’ long-term core. During Las Vegas Summer League, several scouts told Weiss that Harper and Castle are “near locks” to land at least the 25% maximum rookie extension once they become eligible - next summer for Castle and 2028 for Harper - with that figure potentially climbing if they hit “Rose rule” qualifications. Weiss also wrote that they’re “absolutely not getting traded anytime soon,” with both guards seen as central pieces of the franchise’s future.
That future comes with a financial squeeze. Victor Wembanyama is already on a max deal, and Weiss pointed out that San Antonio could run into tax-line issues with just 10 players on the books.
Even so, the roster would still be loaded with talent, especially if Carter Bryant develops into a starting power forward. Weiss added that moving on from Fox won’t be a financial necessity for at least the next two years.
In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki is backing Masai Ujiri as the new team president tries to turn the Mavericks around. Christian Clark of The Athletic reported that Ujiri has already been busy over his first five months on the job, making major roster changes and hiring Dusty May as head coach.
“We are in his corner,” Nowitzki said of his longtime friend. “We all want the Mavericks to go back to where they were.
Just a few years ago, we were a Finals team. There is a lot of work to be done.
We are excited.”
Nowitzki also said “the sky is the limit” for reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
In Memphis, the Grizzlies announced they will wear a “BC” jersey patch this season in memory of Brandon Clarke, who died in May. The team also plans a pre-game tribute and a moment of silence before its October 21 opener.
In Other News...
Wembanyama Has One Concern Spurs Fans Cant Ignore Anymore
Victor Wembanyama spent most of his rise in San Antonio as the kind of star fans could center a franchise around without hesitation, but the tone around him shifted during the 2026 NBA Finals. The Spurs centerpiece was suddenly being viewed through a different lens after a series against the New York Knicks that changed the conversation far beyond the box score, especially as New York celebrated its first title in 53 years.
What makes the concern linger now is not just the fallout from that loss, but what it says about where Wembanyamas head is heading into the 2026-27 season. He remains the player the Spurs need to build around, yet his mindset and approach after such a public turn in sentiment are not fully clear, and for a fan base that has already invested so much in him, that uncertainty matters. [Read more 🡒]
Keldon Johnson May Be Entering A Make-Or-Break Spurs Season
Keldon Johnson heads toward the new season in a more uncertain spot than he has occupied in years with the Spurs. After a summer in which San Antonio extended Julian Champagnie and brought in Tobias Harris, the roster has a different shape around him, and the minutes he has long counted on at power forward may not be as secure as they once were.
For Johnson, the early part of the season could tell the story. His place in the rotation, and perhaps his standing with the franchise, may hinge on how much he plays once games start to matter, especially if the Spurs keep exploring the trade market as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs May Finally Have The Depth Wembanyama Has Needed
The Spurs spent the offseason making a clear point of emphasis around Victor Wembanyama, and it shows in how the roster is taking shape around him. Tobias Harris gives San Antonio another experienced frontcourt option, while Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance add more bodies and more size up front, changes that should give the team a lot more lineup flexibility than it had before.
For a club that has also built out a strong backcourt with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, the appeal is obvious: fewer stopgap minutes and a better chance to stay afloat when Wembanyama is off the floor. Health and rest will always matter with a player this important, but the Spurs at least look better prepared to absorb those absences than they did a year ago. [Read more 🡒]