Anyone who's gotten a chance to watch San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper playing this season has likely come away impressed. The most common praise surrounding his game is that his play is surprisingly under control for a 19-year-old rookie.
He has also been scoring efficiently and has done a terrific job creating shots for teammates while limiting turnovers, instantly making him the Spurs' best playmaker.
While there were questions about whether the Spurs would draft him or look to trade guards De'Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle, having Harper helped the Spurs get off to a franchise-best 5-0 start before he suffered a calf injury. In fact, he has played so well that he has likely turned the Rookie of the Year race on its head, assuming he can return in a couple of weeks from injury.
Entering the season, number one overall pick Cooper Flagg was widely seen as the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award, with Harper receiving no votes in an NBA GM survey. Considering he is one of the better prospects in recent years and was the second overall pick, it makes those GMs look all the more foolish.
Dylan Harper continues to prove rival GMs wrong
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The fact that Harper has been this good right out of the gate may actually complicate things for the Spurs—or at least give them a good problem to have. As productive as Castle has been, Harper has been better, and that might force coach Mitch Johnson to make a tough decision once Harper and Fox are healthy.
Harper should start over Castle, and alongside Fox, allowing the Spurs to put their best foot forward. Fox is a scoring guard who can create for others, while Harper is a playmaker who can also create his own shot.
Given Castle's struggles being a primary playmaker, turning the ball over a staggering 30 times in the team's first six games, having him come off the bench might actually make sense. Hear me out, he has played a lot better alongside Harper, with Harper handling the primary playmaking duties.
The Spurs must start Dylan Harper over Stephon Castle
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As a result, bringing Castle off the bench would allow him to play with either Fox or Harper at all times and even next to both as the de facto small forward in three-guard lineups.
San Antonio might be better off with Fox, Harper, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama starting together once everyone's healthy. The combination of playmaking in the backcourt, shooting in the frontcourt, and, of course, an MVP candidate in Wembanyama appears to be the best possible combination for the Spurs.
If and when that move happens, it could dramatically improve Harper's Rookie of the Year chances once he returns and make rival GMs eat their words.