When people talk about the San Antonio Spurs, the conversation almost always revolves around Victor Wembanyama. The Alien is good, no doubt, but Coach Mitch Johnson also boasts roster depth unlike any other team in the association. One position that they are undeniable at is the guard spot. They have a star-caliber three-man squad with Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox. These men have already tasted the NBA Finals and are clearly hungry to finally hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
What edge do they have over other deep guard rotations in the NBA? The second-year rising star had a simple answer that may taunt other teams.
Spurs’ Harper names biggest advantage Castle & Fox have over other NBA teams
Young cores in the NBA typically take time to hit their stride. Take Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with the Golden State Warriors as an example; it took time before they even sniffed a deep postseason run. Coach Mitch Johnson did not have to wait that long for the Spurs’ rotation to step up. Dylan Harper was a rookie, Stephon Castle was in his second year, and De’Aaron Fox needed just 89 games to gel in the system before they reached the NBA Finals.
This is what makes the Spurs scary. All three of them are already performing at a higher level than most veteran guard rotations in the league. But one thing stands out, and they can clearly boast it over other squads.
Harper named it before their 82-game regular season campaign began, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
“We’re going to be really hard to guard. When me and Steph get downhill, Fox has the same ability. So, I mean, I think all three of us can be hard to guard, and there’s going to be a whole lot of mismatches on the floor and just playing with each other. And we’re all selfish, and we all understand where we’re going to get our shots from,” the Spurs’ second-year player declared.
Harper makes a point here, and all NBA teams and fans should take it seriously. During the 2025-26 season, these three combined for 41 points and 13 assists per game.
Their production is expected to increase in the 2026-27 NBA season. Projections have Harper, Castle, and Fox averaging about 48 points and 17 assists. Add Devin Vassell to the equation, and the projected production jumps to a whopping 62 points and 20 assists. All of which point to the fact that the Spurs are deep in their guard rotation.
All of these are just considering the Spurs’ guard output. NBA teams then face a dilemma when they also have to scheme against Victor Wembanyama, who is hungry for a second NBA DPOY and first MVP. New defensive coverages will be required, opponents will be forced to pick their poison, and it will be a hard experience to deal with Coach Johnson’s squad.
The Spurs have everything they need to start a dynasty in the mid to late 2020s. While Wembanyama is at the center of it all, their guard rotation of Harper, Castle, and Fox isis what makes them unbeatable on most nights.
