The San Antonio Spurs are going to do whatever it takes to get over the hump after losing the NBA Finals last season when they were so close. The organization believes they have what it takes to be a very good team.
The Spurs are full of young talent and should be good for years to come. Their two young guards, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, are already being compared to a legendary duo in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
“If I’m a guard in the NBA, I do not want to see them boys the next 10 years. They’re going to be the new Steph and Klay,” NBA legend Charles Barkley said.
The Spurs are really happy with their guards, especially the young duo. However, all eyes are on Harper this season, as it has been reported that San Antonio views him as the second-best player on the team behind Victor Wembanyama.
“The Spurs internally believe Dylan Harper is their second best player. That’s not a slight on De’Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle. Harper is a stud,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said.
With this perception of Harper, the Spurs could easily trade De’Aaron Fox. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has a trade proposal that would send Fox to the Houston Rockets for Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr.
“For the Spurs, a return of VanVleet and his expiring $25 million salary and Jabari Smith Jr. would be enough to make the money work. Fox is the best overall player in the deal, although San Antonio would get off of his four-year, $221 million contract and open up a starting job for Harper, which is the ultimate goal here. Houston could ask for some draft compensation in return given the heftiness of Fox’s contract, even if the two-time All-Star is a major upgrade over VanVleet,” Swartz wrote.
This would be the deal that jumpstarts the Harper era as the main point guard. The second-year guard is ready for a breakout season after proving himself in the Finals.
VanVleet is on a $25 million expiring deal. Next season, the Spurs can let go of VanVleet and build with Smith, who is another fairly young player to add to the core. The deal would be great for San Antonio.
