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As the San Antonio Spurs figure out what's next as the team enters a new era with Gregg Popovich no longer officially head coach, the NBA Draft will be crucial in finding another piece the team can use to make some serious noise in the NBA. With certain expectations around the Spurs and the No. 2 overall pick, while Cooper Flagg will inevitably be No. 1, the team still has a bevy of talent to choose from.
With the debate of which Rutgers basketball player will go second between Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, analyst Jeremy Woo would choose the latter in ESPN's latest mock draft. He would express how the “wide assumption” around the pick and San Antonio is that the exciting freshman in Harper will be the selection, barring a “blockbuster move.”
“Though trade speculation has swirled around San Antonio and this pick since lottery night, at this stage of the process, it appears to be simply that,” Woo wrote. “The Spurs want to get Wembanyama to the playoffs, but don't have to rush into a blockbuster deal, be it for Giannis Antetokounmpo (should he become available) or a different star.”
“San Antonio has the future draft capital to keep Harper and still significantly upgrade its roster at a lesser cost,” Woo continued. “Rival teams expect the Spurs will entertain their options, but the wide assumption is Harper will be the pick, barring a blockbuster move.”
The Spurs are in a great spot, along with having the No. 2 overall pick
While the plan around the Spurs' No. 2 pick expects Harper to be the pick over his Rutgers teammate in Bailey, it just shows how fortunate the team has been in regards to the draft lottery. Plus, San Antonio's situation is one of the “strongest” in terms of the long-term, as they have Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle as the young core, along with the trade they made for De'Aaron Fox.
Plus, the financial flexibility they have is one that most teams dream of at this stage, as Woo points out.
“Already operating from one of the strongest long-term positions in the league, the Spurs drew lottery luck for the third straight year, jumping six spots to No. 2 and earning the right to select Harper, the consensus option after Flagg goes off the board,” Woo wrote.
“San Antonio was thrilled with its lottery luck, and early signs indicate that it is very comfortable with Harper, prioritizing the best available talent over fit concerns in a backcourt that features De'Aaron Fox and NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle,” Woo continued. “Building around Victor Wembanyama (21 years old), Castle (20), and Harper (19) on rookie contracts is an enviable foundation that offers tremendous short-term flexibility from a salary cap perspective. This selection would raise questions about the Spurs' shooting and splitting up ball-handling duties among their guards, but Harper has substantial talent, and selecting him is easy to justify.”
The Spurs are looking to improve after finishing with a 34-48 record, which put them 13th in the Western Conference.
