After learning that they will be picking second in the 2025 NBA Draft, the intrigue surrounding who the San Antonio Spurs will pick first has completely disappeared. Dylan Harper is clearly the second-best player in this draft class and would give the Spurs yet another highly skilled playmaking guard who can create offense for himself and others.
Teams can never have enough of those players, and his potential addition to the roster adds more intrigue around who the Spurs will pick 14th. There are quite a few options available with that late lottery pick, and they could go in several different directions.
By adding Harper and potentially keeping most of their roster intact, they will almost certainly need more shooting and should strongly consider adding it with that pick. Or, they could focus more on adding size.
The Spurs must tread carefully with the 14th pick
There are a handful of prospects that should be on the Spurs' radar: Carter Bryant, Noa Essengue, Thomas Sorber, Rashard Fleming, and Cedric Coward. Each would bring something different to the table but can either help solve their shooting issues or bolster their frontcourt. Fleming appears to be a fan favorite to be picked by the Spurs and appears to be the best shooter and possibly the best defensive player of the group.
He would immediately give the Spurs' frontcourt help at power forward as a stretch big man who can knock down open threes, defend on the perimeter, and help protect the paint. Flemming also has enough size to play backup center and is a terrific finisher as a roll man in the pick-and-roll, meaning that he could help the Spurs solve two of their biggest problems.
Bryant would give the Spurs an honest-to-goodness wing who can already shoot and defend effectively. He also flashes some ability to create offense for himself with the ball in his hands.
At 6'6 in shoes and with a 6'11" wingspan, the Spurs haven't had a wing like him in quite some time. He's also still a teenager, giving him plenty of room to grow.
Who should the Spurs draft with the 14th pick?
Essengue is the biggest wild card of the bunch, with him having an insane 9'3 1/2 standing reach, which is comparable to former Spur Jakob Poeltl. He is also one of the fastest players at his size in the draft. He can get out in transition or attack closeouts in the half-court with ridiculous quickness.
His length and speed help him defensively, helping him to jump passing lanes and challenge shots in the paint. Better still, his 3-point shot looks decent even if his 3-point percentage doesn't yet reflect it.
He also averaged an eye-popping 5.6 free throws in just 23.7 minutes per game, and he shot a respectable 73% from the line. The odds that he'll be a capable shooter in the NBA seem possible, and that would potentially make him valuable as a mid-round selection.
Sorber is an elite finisher in the paint and a terrific defensive player who generated 3.5 stocks per game. He could easily slot in and play behind Wembanyama next season and hold his own at backup center.
The Spurs must prioritize fit with the 14th pick
Lastly, there is Cedric Coward, who has rapidly climbed up the draft board thanks to his showing at the NBA Draft Combine. He has intriguing physical tools, including being 6'6, having a 7'2 wingspan, and having a 38.5 max vertical leap.
He only played five games this season, but his production matches up with his performance last season. Coward is a great defensive player who often guarded on-ball and was disruptive in doing so. Coward will turn 22 before his rookie season, which might be a potential ding against him, but he could make an impact as a rookie.
In the NBA, he can easily defend multiple positions, including bigger wings. Coward is also a terrific shooter, drilling 38.8% from deep on 2.7 3-point attempts per game over his 3-year college career.
Coward is a great option at 14, and he'd fill a role as an athletic 3-and-D wing who has some ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the paint. The Spurs haven't had a big, athletic wing who can both shoot and defend in quite some time, so he would definitely fill a need.
All in all, the Spurs can't afford to draft someone who doesn't fill one of their two biggest needs: more shooting and size at power forward or center. Carter is a young three-and-D prospect who has the potential to fill a major role for the Spurs for years to come.
Fleming is a prototypical three-and-D power forward who would add more shooting and size. Essengue arguably has the highest upside of any prospect in this range but also has the biggest bust potential. Meanwhile, Sorber is NBA-ready, as is Coward.
Given the options, Bryant and Coward would be the best wing options that can provide shooting and defense, while Fleming is the best combination of size and shooting. That gives San Antonio several strong options to choose from in the 2025 NBA Draft.