Spurs have important De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper test coming next year

The San Antonio Spurs are going to be in a very interesting spot next season. Not from a contention standpoint – they should be in the mix – but rather from a roster construction standpoint. De’Aaron Fox is on a massive contract moving forward, but they have Dylan Harper, who is very clearly ready to take a leap. San Antonio needs to find a way for those two to co-exist.

If Harper continues to progress at the rate at which he did throughout his rookie campaign, he will inevitably be a starter. That means he and Fox will almost certainly have to be the starting one and two in San Antonio. Last year, Harper didn’t start much, but that will change, and the Spurs need to see how the two guards mesh.

Next season will be crucial, as it will be the Spurs’ first real chance to get a look at what having Fox and Harper share the court for heavy, consistent minutes looks like on an every-night basis.

Spurs need to see how De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper work alongside each other long-term

There’s no question that Harper is a core building block for the Spurs. He proved that much in his rookie season, and now, it’s up to the Spurs to help set him up for success.

But Fox is just as important. His struggles in the Finals don’t change that. There’s a reason the Spurs traded for him. He’s an All-Star-caliber point guard who can help them win a championship.

The Spurs don’t need to trade Fox in order for Harper to be successful. However, they do need to figure out the best way for both of them to thrive in the starting lineup alongside one another.

Neither is an amazing three-point shooter, but if both can progress in that area, it would be a major help. The better the shooters they are, the better they will be playing off the ball.

In an ideal world, the Spurs can roll out Fox, Harper, and Stephon Castle together in the starting lineup. Then, throughout the game, Mitch Johnson can stagger their minutes so they can each be the lead ball-handler of different groups.

The talent is there. They can make it work. Fox and Harper are both star guards. Both starting-caliber guards. They both need to be in the starting lineup for the Spurs moving forward.

It’s just up to San Antonio (and Johnson and his staff) to figure out how that looks. Next season will be their first chance at testing it, and it could speak volumes for how the tandem will work in the future.

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