Dylan Harper luxury makes the Spurs a legit title threat

The surging San Antonio Spurs are looking increasingly like a contender thanks in part to their impressive depth. Not only do they have the perfect blend of young talent, but they also have enough veteran leadership to immediately challenge for a championship this season.

Speaking of depth, they are so deep that they have second overall pick Dylan Harper coming off the bench. That's a major luxury that could help them go deep in the playoffs, as the Ringers' Bill Simmons points out. That is especially true considering that Harper is arguably the Spurs' fifth option and a fantastic one at that.

In just his first 15 games of his NBA career, he's averaging an impressive 13.1 points and 3.7 assists in just 21.9 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, that equates out to 21.4 points and 6.0 assists. As his role grows, Harper will only get better, and he could be a crucial part of the Spurs going forward.

Dylan Harper gives the Spurs an embarrassment of riches

The Spurs' recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Cup quarterfinals proves that Harper could be a difference maker this season. Although he played just 20 minutes, he scored 13 points and chipped in three assists while helping to keep pressure on the Lakers as they mounted several comebacks.

Not just that, but the Spurs' three-headed point guard monster flexed their potential. San Antonio was able to have two slashers on the floor at all times, allowing them to get out in transition for easy baskets and keeping the Lakers on their heels.

Harper, even at 19, is already one of the NBA's best point guards when it comes to attacking the paint, and he is shooting a blistering 66.7% on shots within three feet of the basket. His combination of size, craft, and skill makes it hard to keep him out of the paint and even harder to stop him from scoring when he gets there.

Make no mistake, Dylan Harper is the Spurs' X-factor this season

The Spurs don't even necessarily need him to create for others. His primary focus should be getting buckets when he's in the game, and he has done just that, with him putting up stellar numbers even though he's playing a surprisingly small role for a second overall pick.

For comparison, Castle averaged 14.7 points per game last season. And while he came off the bench primarily, he also had 15 starts and averaged 26.7 minutes per game.

Harper is putting up better numbers on a per-minute basis with better efficiency. That reinforces the idea that he is the better prospect and may have a higher ceiling, which is a scary thought considering just how good Castle has looked this season.

In the meantime, the Spurs need Harper to continue to aggressively raid the paint, looking for easy baskets for himself and others. That makes him the Spurs' x-factor, and a unique one at that.

That is considering that he could be far better than he is now by the time the playoffs come around. Hopefully, that will result in the Spurs' ceiling for this season being raised even higher than it already appears to be now.