Dylan Harper was not quiet about it. The No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft made his frustration known internally: not enough minutes, a role that undercut what he knew he could do. This week, Devin Vassell made it public. “He was upset with playing time, different roles,” Vassell told reporters.
By June, that complaint was irrelevant. Harper averaged 18.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in the NBA Finals against New York, shooting 49.5% from the field in 31 minutes a night. The Spurs lost the series 4-1. Harper did not look like a player who needed to be managed.
From the bench to the Finals stage
The plan for Harper’s first season was reasonable on paper. Join a team built around Victor Wembanyama, absorb the system, contribute in a low-pressure role. He averaged 11.8 points and shot 50.5% from the floor in the regular season across 69 games – solid numbers for a 19-year-old on a contender. But he came off the bench, played capped minutes, and eventually decided to say something about it.
San Antonio listened. Minutes increased as winter turned to spring. When the playoffs arrived, Harper was no longer being protected – he was a weapon. Wembanyama drew the bracket coverage and double-teams. Harper found the open space and made teams pay. His numbers climbed each round, topping out at 18 points in five Finals games against a Knicks defense that led the league this season.
The Year 2 question San Antonio can’t ignore
His camp is now pushing for a starting role, per multiple reports. That’s where things get complicated for San Antonio. The player most affected would be Devin Vassell – the same teammate who revealed Harper’s frustration. Vassell was one of the steadier two-way contributors on the team all season.
Moving him off the starting five isn’t a demotion based on talent. It’s a reshuffling forced by a development timeline that moved faster than anyone expected. San Antonio built a plan around the assumption that Harper had time. He didn’t need it.
The Spurs reached the Finals in 2025-26. Year 2 decisions carry real weight. Who starts at guard beside Wembanyama matters, and Harper just spent five Finals games proving he can handle it. The front office knows. The question is what they do about it.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Sports, ClutchPoints
