Dylan Harper has clear expectation that the Spurs might struggle to fulfill

There's a tiny bit of smoke coming out of San Antonio concerning Dylan Harper right now. On a recent Spurs Insider podcast episode, ESPN's Michael C. Wright revealed that "people" are expecting the incoming sophomore to make the transition into the starting lineup at some point.

Whether the expectation about starting is coming from the organization or Harper's own camp, Mitch Johnson has to deal with it either way.

It wasn't that long ago that The Athletic's Jared Weiss reported that Harper had no problem coming off the bench. However, plenty of people believe the 2025 second overall pick was already the better player in the games that mattered most.

If some of those beliefs are held by staff members, it sets the stage for change. Then, imagine Harper performs better in training camp; things could change quickly.

Harper's rise could create an impossible backcourt decision

The problem is, Fox will be motivated and could bring his best. He'll want to prove his critics wrong but also stave off the inevitable Harper takeover we all know is coming. It's a matter of when, not if.

Still, if the competition is close, even if Dylan is a little better, Swipa will likely get the nod. He's the veteran making $55 million, so it's easy to justify.

We didn't see much of the three-guard lineup last season, partly because it wasn't working. That unit had a poor net rating (-26.9), so Coach Johnson didn't use it very much, but making it work might be Harper's best path to either starting or significantly increasing his playing time.

That means evolving his game quickly to become just as dangerous off the ball as he is with the rock in his hands. Improving his catch-and-shoot efficiency must be a priority. He got on a heater with those over the last two months of the regular season, but his accuracy took a huge dip in the playoffs.

Harper may be too good to keep on the bench

Regression to the mean can be painful. But Harper was so good that it didn't sting too much, and that's pretty much why we're in this position in the first place. He was so good that people are outright rejecting the idea of leaving him on the bench for one more game.

They aren't completely wrong. It's just a delicate situation because of De'Aaron Fox's presence. No matter your feelings about Harper, Fox is still a very good player who stands to get better with another year in the system and a full offseason to train.

But as Wright said, you can't deny Dylan's talent. This kid is special. So, if outside forces are pushing for his elevation and he outshines Fox badly in camp, Mitch Johnson will have an incredibly tough decision to make.

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