Spurs trade rumor poses NBA Draft question fans thought was already answered

The San Antonio Spurs were supposed to be locked in on Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick at the 2025 NBA Draft. It was reported as far back as May 14 that the Spurs believe they can play Harper alongside Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox.

Fast forward a single month, however, and San Antonio is being approached for the No. 2 pick and thus facing questions that many thought had already been answered.

A team attempting to trade for the No. 2 pick normally wouldn't mean much about what the incumbent intends to do with it. Every team would like to acquire a prospect with All-Star potential, and the Spurs are in a unique position to do exactly that. The Philadelphia 76ers, however, aren't an example of a normal trade partner.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the 76ers are attempting to trade up from No. 3 to No. 2 at the 2025 NBA Draft—and Harper hasn't yet been identified as one of the players they're considering.

If the 76ers wouldn't be trading up to select Harper, then is he actually the Spurs' preferred prospect at No. 2?

Trade rumor poses question: Are the Spurs as locked in on Dylan Harper as advertised?

If the current rumors hold true, then Cooper Flagg is a lock at No. 1 and Harper can claim the same for the No. 2 pick at the 2025 NBA Draft. In that scenario, the 76ers could simply hold on to the No. 3 pick and select the prospect they wouldn't be impeded from drafting.

Unless San Antonio is misleading Philadelphia into thinking that they're eyeing someone other than Harper, Scotto's report would seemingly imply that the Spurs are still weighing their options.

For better or worse, misdirection is admittedly a part of the negotiation process. San Antonio could very well be evaluating every option at its disposal and simply keeping quiet about what its intentions truly are with the No. 2 pick.

That could thus open the door for the 76ers to send the Spurs considerable assets, only for team president Gregg Popovich to still select Harper at No. 3.

The fact that Philadelphia is seemingly worried that one of Ace Bailey or V.J. Edgecombe might not be available at No. 3, however, offers reason to evaluate a new set of possibilities. It at least implies that both players are on San Antonio's radar, even if they aren't above Harper on the internal big board.

One could thus infer that Harper is a favorite rather than the guaranteed pick at No. 2—a possibility that reopens conversations about fit and rotation structure.

Dylan Harper is a massive talent and a potentially imperfect fit

By selecting Harper at No. 2 overall, San Antonio would be making a bold statement about his place as, at the very least, a long-term starter. Drafting a sixth man that high simply wouldn't be logical considering the pressure prospects encounter as top-five selections, as well as the simple fact that the Spurs face uncertainty at multiple positions.

That's a complicated truth to process when one considers the fact that the Spurs traded for De'Aaron Fox and have the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle. Throw in Harper and San Antonio would be starting three guards who stand somewhere in between 6'3" and 6'6".

The Spurs would also be investing in a perimeter built around three players who have thus far proven to be inconsistent shooters.

Perhaps they'll improve their shooting, thrive as a three-headed playmaking monster, and excel defensively. It's also possible that San Antonio will look to trade one of Castle or Fox if Harper lives up to his potential and proves capable of shouldering a star-caliber workload.

A third possibility worth considering is that players such as Bailey and Edgecombe are garnering stronger interest among Spurs leadership figures than previously anticipated.

Are Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecombe on the Spurs' radar?

Bailey and Edgecombe were the two prospects whom Scotto named, meaning there are another two unnamed individuals Philadelphia is considering. With this in mind, it's plausible that San Antonio has those same four players on their radar—or at least some combination of them.

With Bailey and Edgecombe identified, one must thus pose the question: Could the Spurs be interested in those two prospects specifically?

Edgecombe is a 6'4" and 193-pound guard with a 6'7.5" wingspan who may not be the most ideal structural fit in San Antonio. He's an effortlessly explosive athlete, however, with the defensive acumen and versatile skill set to warrant the intrigue in his potential.

Bailey, meanwhile, is upside personified. He stands at 6'7.5" without shoes and 203 pounds with a 7'0.5" wingspan and the mechanics to become a knockdown shooter. A pure scorer who can put points on the board with the best of the prospects in this class, his ceiling is that of a perennial All-Star.

For a Spurs team that lacks three-point shooting and a reliable featured scorer along the wings, Bailey would certainly be an ideal fit on paper.

Once a perceived certainty, it's suddenly reasonable to ponder if Harper truly is a lock at No. 2 if a rival executive fears that a player such as Bailey of Edgecombe may not be available at No. 3. Unfortunately for those in search of an answer, mum will be the word.

With Harper, a trade down, and every prospect not named Cooper Flagg all within reach, the Spurs have suddenly had a door kicked open that most thought had been sealed shut a month ago.