Ask almost anyone in the San Antonio Spurs’ fanbase, and they’ll tell you that Dylan Harper should be the franchise’s starting point guard sooner rather than later.
Ask Harper, and he’ll tell you the exact same thing.
In the aftermath of De’Aaron Fox’s putrid NBA Finals outing, it’s clearer than ever that Harper is ahead of schedule and that the Spurs must run the offense through him. Of course, Harper is still very raw, and Fox remains one of the best point guards in the NBA.
But the clock is ticking.
As the Spurs move forward and attempt to make it back to the Finals, Harper isn’t asking to be a bigger piece of the picture. He’s demanding it.
Dylan Harper to Request Starting Role From Spurs
Even as fans direct their ire towards Fox, it seems likely that he will not be traded this summer, meaning the Spurs will run things back with Harper, Fox, and Stephon Castle.
Despite being owed $229 million over the next four seasons– the largest contract the Spurs have ever dolled out–Fox might be asked to take a bench role. Harper, despite being mentored by Manu Ginobili, knows he can be a starter.
“It’s expected that calls from Harper’s camp for a spot in the starting lineup will grow louder going into next season,” wrote ESPN’s Michael Wright. “But it’s not an issue San Antonio needs to address right away. Fox’s contract won’t become a potential eyesore until after Wembanyama’s upcoming rookie extension kicks in, and when the Spurs are looking next summer to extend Castle to what should be a max deal.”
Even with Fox on the roster next season, the assumption is that he will not finish out his contract in San Antonio. Some fans would say that’s good riddance, while a more reasonable, quiet majority would say that there’s no rush to run him out of town.
There might be a clock on demoting him to the bench unit, though. Giving Harper the keys to the offense now not only speeds up his development but could also cement a lasting relationship between player and franchise.
The era of players like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Ginobili taking less money or fewer minutes for the team is long gone. Jalen Brunson’s voluntary pay cut is the exception, not the rule.
If the Spurs want Harper to play like a superstar, they need to treat him like one.
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