Dylan Harper made it clear on Monday that his role won’t change his mindset.
The Spurs guard had briefly stirred the pot in a feature story with Stephon Castle, saying he was going to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2026/27 before quickly backing off the comment. Harper later laughed it off: “I was lying,” Harper said. “I had a smile on my face.”
At Spurs media day, Harper said the bigger picture matters more than whether he starts or comes off the bench. “Everyone has a competitive edge to them, but the biggest thing for me is whatever I can do, just like last year, to help the team win,” Harper said.
“Whatever position the coaching staff thinks is best for me to be in, that’s the position I’ll have to own. … I’m always going to be at the forefront of keeping the team together.”
His comments came after Devin Vassell raised some eyebrows around the league following the NBA Finals, when he suggested Harper wasn’t thrilled with his playing time or role during his rookie season.
Victor Wembanyama also opened up about the aftermath of the Spurs’ Finals loss to the Knicks. The star center usually sleeps 10-plus hours a day, but rest did not come easy after that disappointment. Even so, according to Jared Weiss, Wembanyama eventually “trained harder than ever and moved on.”
“It’s been hard to fall asleep sometimes. Hard emotions,” Wembanyama said Monday.
“But there is a point where you accept that you have to go through it. You have to feel all of it.
We don’t want to hide from anything.”
Tobias Harris, one of the Spurs’ free agent additions, said he sees a natural fit with the organization. He called the pairing a “perfect match” because both sides are focused on winning a championship.
“When the opportunity came in the offseason, I obviously looked at the talent of the group, the trajectory of the team and just the willingness of wanting and striving to win a championship, and all those things align with me personally,” Harris said. “And I’ve known (general manager Brian Wright) for a long time, worked with him in Orlando together. So when the opportunity was presented, it was one that I was really excited about.”
Harris added that he’s prepared to accept whatever role he gets this season.
There was also an update on first-round pick Jayden Quaintance, and the message was patience. Head coach Mitch Johnson said the team plans to take it slow after Quaintance had meniscus surgery in July.
“Jayden’s doing great, pleasure to be around, really thoughtful kid,” Johnson said. “The plan for him is to get it (his knee) right and take it slow and to make sure we get it right.”
The Spurs have not put a timeline on Quaintance’s return, though Orsborn noted it wouldn’t be surprising if the rookie ends up in a “redshirt” season.
In Other News...
Spurs Have A Big Question As Their Guard Trio Takes On More
Mitch Johnson is pushing the Spurs toward a bigger role for their young guard trio, with Dylan Harper, DeAaron Fox and Stephon Castle expected to share the floor more often than they did a year ago. The idea is built on what the group flashed in limited stretches last season, and San Antonio wants to see those promising moments turn into something more stable as the minutes start to rise.
For that to work, the fit has to be cleaner away from the ball. Johnson has pointed to the need for the guards to sharpen the little things that make an overloaded backcourt function, especially spacing the floor and cutting hard to the rim. It is the kind of adjustment that could unlock the lineup, and also the part of the experiment that will decide whether the Spurs can keep leaning into it. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama May Need One New Weapon To Protect His Future
Victor Wembanyama already stands out as one of the leagues most difficult scorers to game-plan for, thanks to a skill set that stretches defenses in almost every direction. But as the Spurs continue managing his development, there is a growing basketball case for adding another layer to his attack, one that could make him even harder to defend while also helping preserve the kind of body that has to carry a massive workload.
The idea is pretty simple: if Wembanyama can become more dependable from the middle of the floor, he may not have to absorb so much contact at the rim or rely as heavily on the same high-impact possessions every night. His current touch from that area leaves room for growth, and for a player with his long-term importance in San Antonio, the payoff would not just be about scoring. It would be about building a path that keeps his game efficient, sustainable and a little easier on his future. [Read more 🡒]
Tobias Harris Just Changed A Tough Spurs Decision
Tobias Harris arrived in San Antonio as one of the more interesting offseason additions, and the fit already feels like a live roster question for the Spurs. At media day, Harris made it clear he is focused on winning and is prepared to handle whatever role the team asks of him, which is exactly the kind of flexibility a young team wants from a veteran forward.
The complication is obvious enough: Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are the current starting forwards, and Harris gives the Spurs another proven option in that same mix. His place in the rotation will come down to what the team needs and how everyone performs, making this less about a simple signing and more about an early-season decision that could shape the way the Spurs line up. [Read more 🡒]