Dylan Harper's drop in the Rookie Ladder is much less of a concern than this

In the latest NBA rookie ladder drop, San Antonio's own Dylan Harper dropped from fourth to fifth. This may come as a surprise, as the rook has been heating up recently. Finally starting to see his three-ball drop, Harp has put together some impressive offensive outings in the month of madness.

With that, how could he possibly be falling? Well, the Spurs' lone draft mistake has a lot to do with that.

The Spurs regrettably missed out on Maxime Raynaud

On March 17th, the Spurs battled the Sacramento Kings. In an absolute trouncing, San Antonio put up 132 points to the Kings' 104. While this demolition highlighted the Silver and Black's ability to put the ball in the cup, it also showcased one of the front office's biggest draft mistakes.

In the game, Kings rookie center Maxime Raynaud put up a whopping 32 points and 9 rebounds against the Spurs' ferocious defense. This performance, along with several other similar lines, placed him ahead of Dylan Harper in the rookie rankings.

While it's nice to see somebody succeed in Sacramento, it's a shot in the heart to Spurs fans knowing that we could have snagged this kid.

Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Spurs held the 38th pick. While many fans eagerly waited to see who the front office would select with the pick, Brian Wright and co. decided to move away from the selection. San Antonio would trade the selection in the second round to the Indiana Pacers for a future second-round pick and cash considerations.

San Antonio traded the rights to a steal of a backup center

With the 42nd pick, the Sacramento Kings would nab center Maxime Raynaud. As a result, many Spurs fans were furious, as the French product was a fan favorite and had obvious connections to Victor Wembanyama. The two even played together in France during a FIBA U16 tournament in 2019.

The surprising move to pass on Maxime is hurting worse by the day. The Spurs missed out on a future All-Rookie First Team player and someone who would have fit perfectly on the squad. Raynaud could have slotted into the Kelly Olynyk role as the team's third center and would have excelled in the San Antonio development program.

The Spurs originally made the deal to clear up a roster spot for Kelly Olynyk by trading Blake Wesley and Malaki Branham. Instead, San Antonio could have grabbed Maxime Raynaud and erased any need for a third center. With Maxime on board, Victor could have reunited with his old pal and mentored him into a player who would flourish for years to come.

While Brian Wright's decision was a clear mistake, it should be understood that Raynaud wouldn't be posting the 11.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game that he is today on this roster. They're too deep. Yet still, it's sad to see such a talented young player pass by.

Regardless, the Spurs will remain joyful with their selections of Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant. As we move forward, Dyl will be battling Raynaud for a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, and the front office will hope that we forget about the trade.