San Antonio gave Dylan Harper the point guard keys in its preseason opener, and the rookie did not waste the first look. Harper started beside Stephon Castle after De’Aaron Fox was scratched, then posted 16 first-half points and four assists while showing a pull-up 3-point element the Spurs need if their three-guard group is going to hold up.
Harper gets the call, Fox sits
- Coach Mitch Johnson announced before tip-off that Harper would replace Julian Champagnie in the starting five, putting Harper, Fox and Castle on the floor together for the first time as starters.
- Fox was then ruled out because of load management. He arrived at the arena too sore following Thursday morning’s practice and was not cleared by the medical staff.
- Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson also missed the preseason game for rest, another example of teams protecting regulars during the exhibition schedule.
- With Fox unavailable, Harper took over as the starting lead guard and immediately supplied the kind of perimeter production that could make the alignment viable.
Harper hit three of five attempts from beyond the arc in the first half, taking more than twice as many 3-point shots as 2-point attempts. The volume mattered as much as the makes. He has long been able to pressure the rim with force, but he looked more willing to operate off the dribble and rise from above the break rather than living mainly on corner spot-ups.
“Perimeter shooting was a major part of my summer work,” Harper said. “I wanted to be more comfortable with the jumper, more comfortable pulling up, and as efficient as possible. Tonight, the shots fell.”
The spacing question behind the three-guard look
Johnson stopped short of naming this the club’s permanent starting lineup. Preseason remains a testing ground, and San Antonio plans to keep examining combinations. Still, Harper’s performance made a strong early case for a role that includes starter-level minutes and closing duties.
The central issue is spacing around Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs have already found success with two guards, two shooters and Wembanyama, but their half-court offense bogged down late in the postseason. That showed most sharply in the NBA Finals, where New York rallied in every game before taking the series in five.
If Harper can consistently command attention above the arc, San Antonio can put three downhill guards on the floor with Wembanyama and force defenses into difficult coverage decisions. Harper, Fox and Castle can each create driving pressure, potentially opening mismatches throughout the lineup.
“When Steph and I get downhill, Fox can do that, too,” Harper said. “All three of us can be tough covers. There will be mismatches, and we know how to play together. We understand where our looks will come from.”
Harper, 20, has maintained throughout camp that he will accept whatever assignment he receives. His play has made a reserve role increasingly difficult to justify, though. His first start did not settle Johnson’s rotation for the season, but it gave the Spurs a compelling first return on the experiment.
“We know what each of us needs to do to win,” Harper said. “It’s going to be great.”
