With another strike of lottery luck, the Spurs were able to land at the top of the draft yet again. The upcoming second overall pick will be the Spurs’ third top-four pick in as many years, and another guard is the forecasted pick: Dylan Harper out of Rutgers.
Looking at the current roster of guards, newly acquired De’Aaron Fox paired next to Rookie of the Year first teamer Stephon Castle appeared to be the Spurs’ one-two punch going forward. That was before this pick fell into their lap. Now, if the draft goes as predicted, the Spurs have the task of fitting another prospect into that point-and/or-shooting guard spot.
The quick profile on Harper reads clear as day: he's a scorer. He can attack the basket with creativity and seems to float to the rim whenever he wants. His handle, footwork, and finishing are what stand out from the film. Long story short, he can cook, averaging 19.4 points per game on 13.8 field goal attempts.
Naturally though, that comes with a high usage, 29 percent according to [sports-reference.com](http://sportreference.com). Comparitevly, Fox and Castle both held a usage of 26 percent last year. Harper will need to get used to the idea of seeing the ball less at the professional level. No one is saying he can’t fit into a system, but it is something to make a note of.
Even with Castle or Harper coming off the bench, would this be a case of “too many cooks in the kitchen?” Many might remember that Fox was in a situation in Sacramento with another point guard prospect, now Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. At a high-level glance, one could say that it didn’t work. Haliburton was traded after only 109 games.
However, the Kings only found marginal success swapping Haliburton for center Domantas Sabonis. It spawned the Kings their first playoff birth in decades but was soon followed up with quintessential Kings mismanagement, leading to De’Aaron Fox’s trade request to San Antonio. Given the Kings’ historical track record of poor decision-making, maybe they shouldn’t be looked to for guidance on team-building decisions. Looking back, it’s entirely possible Fox and Haliburton could have played together, given their tendencies to move the ball up the floor at high pace and Haliburton’s natural talent to get assists.
Even if separating Fox and Haliburton was the right move, there is no reason Fox can’t play with other talented guards today. It’s been three full years since that trade, and Fox has only proven to grow as a player. In this situation with Harper and Castle, he would be the “adult in the room.” The veteran of the backcourt running the show with two young talents next to him, it’s an entirely different situation.
But if Fox is the established guy, that doesn’t necessarily define Castle and Harper’s roles. Realistically speaking, though, that isn’t a problem. Castle is 20 and Harper is 19. They shouldn’t have their roles completely defined yet. Castle has shown he can play on and off the ball. Harper, while ball dominant in college, at least showed he can make the open pass and make some catch-and-shoot threes. It could be argued he profiles more as an undersized wing than a guard.
Overall, having three highly athletic guys with some overlapping skills is not inherently a bad thing and will actually open a variety of possibilities, both in rotation and playing them all together. Not to mention that alongside a game-breaking player like Victor Wembanyama, a traditional lineup was never a necessity.
This isn’t to say it will be a magic fit instantaneously. It will take good coaching and management to make it all work, but fans should want nothing less from this organization. It may take a little trial and error, but once coach Mitch Johnson finds what works, don’t be surprised if things take off. It will be a lot of talent condensed together, but the Spurs can make that work better than anyone.