The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery proved to be both a major success and a crushing disappointment for the San Antonio Spurs. By now, fans know that they will be picking second in this year's draft, coming within just one pick of being able to select top prospect Cooper Flagg.
That is a major disappointment, no doubt, but the second pick is the second pick, and it gives the Spurs plenty of options.
The Spurs jumping up from the eighth pick to the second pick presents some challenges too. After all, there is about a $5.5 million difference in terms of first-year salary difference, and that could affect the Spurs this summer.
The Spurs landing the second pick complicates their plans
While they will be more expensive than originally thought by several million, it's not entirely doom and gloom. Fortunately, they will still have access to the mid-level exception (MLE), which is projected to be around $15 million.
The year 1 salary for the 2nd pick will be $12.3 million. The year 1 salary for the 14th pick will be $4.9 million.
This means the Spurs will be $5.9 million over the cap entering the offseason with the $14.1 million NTMLE and $5.1 million BAE.https://t.co/EVl9Vsvtxy
— Paul Garcia (TheSpotUpShot.com) (@PaulGarciaNBA) May 13, 2025
That is incredibly valuable, although they still have a big potential issue in regard to their actual rotation. The unexpected cost may keep the Spurs from bringing back Chris Paul by using non-Bird rights. Bringing him back for around $10 million and using the MLE would possibly make them a luxury tax team unless he signs for the minimum.
They can replace him by adding the second-best player in the draft, who is clearly Dylan Harper. Harper is a 6'5 point guard who has special playmaking talent but is a middling shooter at this point in his career.
Adding him to a rotation that includes De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle is a guarantee for an awkward fit with three ball handlers and one ball. The Spurs already have plenty of problems with shooting, and adding another questionable shooter to the lineup could further hurt their spacing.
Add in Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan, and the Spurs will likely have at least five questionable shooters in the rotation next season. That is definitely a cause for concern.
The Spurs drafting Dylan Harper would be a double-edged sword
With spacing concerns, the Spurs should focus on pursuing a backup big man, with Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez being an interesting option.
He is a high-volume 3-point shooter who drained 37.3% of threes this past season and is a strong rim protector. On a one-year deal for $10 million, he'd be a terrific backup and maybe willing to accept a smaller role at age 37.
Lopez could help solve two issues: shooting and depth at backup center. That would allow for the Spurs to have a stretch five on the floor at all times. It would give them a hypothetical rotation of Fox, Castle, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama as the starting five.
For the second unit, they could have Harper, Julian Champagnie, Johnson, Sochan, and Lopez. That rotation would definitely be better than this season's team. However, they would still have the same shooting questions that they may not be able to solve.
All told, the Spurs have a good problem after landing the second pick. They will be more expensive than first thought, which would still allow them to use their mid-level exception but could cost them Paul. It could also prevent them from adding more shooting to the rotation, but they should be far more talented next season.