Player The restricted-age video store section of Dylan Harper

[OK Computer]

how many teams have relevant 3rd PGs?

None, because the Spurs are the first team to successfully do this formula. It is our hallmark advantage that few actually appreciate.

 

[spurraider21]

None, because the Spurs are the first team to successfully do this formula. It is our hallmark advantage that few actually appreciate.

all we really need is another 2/3 type tbh, and stagger castle/harper enough to make it work

assuming no garbage time (big assumption given how good this team looks and shoud look going forward), you need 48 minutes with a PG on the floor. assume that castle/harper each play 32 mpg.

the very rudimentary math is they each play 8 minutes per quarter... of which 4 of those minutes are them sharing the court, and 4 apiece as the sole lead guard, ie

Castle/Harper start the game together for the first 4 minutes
Harper goes to the bench and Castle plays PG for 4 minutes
Castle subs out, Harper subs in and plays PG for 4 minutes

and you basically just mix/match these rotations for each quarter of the game, probably closing the 4th with them both sharing the floor

 

[OK Computer]

all we really need is another 2/3 type tbh, and stagger castle/harper enough to make it work

assuming no garbage time (big assumption given how good this team looks and shoud look going forward), you need 48 minutes with a PG on the floor. assume that castle/harper each play 32 mpg.

the very rudimentary math is they each play 8 minutes per quarter... of which 4 of those minutes are them sharing the court, and 4 apiece as the sole lead guard, ie

Castle/Harper start the game together for the first 4 minutes
Harper goes to the bench and Castle plays PG for 4 minutes
Castle subs out, Harper subs in and plays PG for 4 minutes

and you basically just mix/match these rotations for each quarter of the game, probably closing the 4th with them both sharing the floor

I’d argue that having Fox (or a third PG) not only allowed us to have 48 minutes of elite PG play but also allowed more two-PG lineups. In your plan, it only allows 16 minutes of Castle-Harper lineups where it’s probably double that right now with combinations of Castle-Harper, Harper-Fox, Castle-Fox. These lineups keep the opposing team guessing and when one PG has a bad play, the other one takes over - that has happened a lot this season.

When you say “just get a 2/3”, I think it underestimates the skill of a real point guard. A 2/3 is kind of like Vassell, right? We’ve seen Vassell handle the ball a lot in previous seasons, and it’s night and day now when that ball is in a real point guard’s hands instead. Now, if you said to get a 2/3 with above average point guard skill then that would be different. But that is not that common. Maybe that’s where Dailyn Swain would be good for us, or if you looked at forwards who played point guard then Joshua Jefferson would be perfect.

 

[spurraider21]

I like Joshua Jefferson quite a bit, more than i like Swain for us

 

[LeBowen]

Finally played more than 30 minutes in a game.

 

[scott]

Welp, I lean realist over idealist. If Fox can’t stay because of the financial constraints, then so be it. It sucks because I see this team achieving 70 wins next year, and to lose Fox after that will be a huge blow.

Of course… if we’re coming off back to back titles and Fox is still performing at a high level… you just pay the lux tax. Breaking up winning teams is always “smartest guy in the room” energy that seems to backfire more often than not

 

[100%Duncan]

Of course… if we’re coming off back to back titles and Fox is still performing at a high level… you just pay the lux tax. Breaking up winning teams is always “smartest guy in the room” energy that seems to backfire more often than not

If you b2b, no way you dont keep the core and try a 3peat tbh.



Damn we’re already talking about b2bs and 3peats

 

[STAT88]

Would you guys still keep Fox when we’re going for the 4peat?

 

[kxs783]

Sorry, but you're out of your mind if you think Harper is going to still be coming off the bench in 3 or 4 years. Are we watching the same player?

So tell me who's getting replaced? My point exactly. You guys thinking a MAX player is coming off the bench as a 6th man or is getting traded after year 1, have to be the most delusional people ever lol. My God.

 

[LeBowen]

So tell me who's getting replaced? My point exactly. You guys thinking a MAX player is coming off the bench as a 6th man or is getting traded after year 1, have to be the most delusional people ever lol. My God.

You're so annoying with these whatoboutism scenarios before this roster even played it's first playoff game.
Come again with the same take after the 2027 playoffs are done and then we can talk because some of the guys considered to be key rotation pieces won't deliver and will be moved.
Until we see how this team does in the playoffs, making such claims with conviction is just I won't say dumb, but you get the point.

 

[Exstatic]

So tell me who's getting replaced? My point exactly.

With the way the young guards shooting is progressing, Vassell probably goes to the bench. You start all three, sit Fox after four minutes, replacing him with Vassell,and rotate the three so that two are always on the floor, then the last 6-8 minutes of the game, all three close it out.

 

[Rafa]

So tell me who's getting replaced? My point exactly. You guys thinking a MAX player is coming off the bench as a 6th man or is getting traded after year 1, have to be the most delusional people ever lol. My God.

TBH depending on how the next 3-4 years go, you can't see us trying to trade Fox? His $60M a year hit in 2029-30 is gonna be massive because at that point, Vic, Steph, and Harper will all be in non-rookie contracts. We'd likely have to get rid of one of those 4, and it's not gonna be Vic.... So unless Steph and/or Harper fall off a cliff, it's likely Fox.

Also, one of two things will occur in the next 3-4 years: (1) we win a title, Fox got his after coming here, we can part in good ways, or (2) we haven't, our salary is balloon'd, and it's understandable the team won't want to be in the 2nd apron trying for the 5th time with the same squad again

 

[kxs783]

Fox isn't getting traded, nor is he going to the bench next season. The only shot Harper has to start next session is play as a SF/PF since y'all say we're playing "positionless" basketball. It's pretty simple, really. Y'all wanted another Ginobli to come off the bench and we got him.

 

[kxs783]

TBH depending on how the next 3-4 years go, you can't see us trying to trade Fox? His $60M a year hit in 2029-30 is gonna be massive because at that point, Vic, Steph, and Harper will all be in non-rookie contracts. We'd likely have to get rid of one of those 4, and it's not gonna be Vic.... So unless Steph and/or Harper fall off a cliff, it's likely Fox.

Also, one of two things will occur in the next 3-4 years: (1) we win a title, Fox got his after coming here, we can part in good ways, or (2) we haven't, our salary is balloon'd, and it's understandable the team won't want to be in the 2nd apron trying for the 5th time with the same squad again

Oh for sure we'll be looking to move on from Fox around that time. But these guys are talking about trading or moving him to the bench next season and that ain't happening.

 

[kxs783]

You're so annoying with these whatoboutism scenarios before this roster even played it's first playoff game.
Come again with the same take after the 2027 playoffs are done and then we can talk because some of the guys considered to be key rotation pieces won't deliver and will be moved.
Until we see how this team does in the playoffs, making such claims with conviction is just I won't say dumb, but you get the point.

Likewise, which is why I stopped replying to anything you post. You posts "whatoboutism" as if you're some guru lol. You're posting your "opinions" the same as I am. It's a public site where you have the freedom to keep scrolling, yet you seem to get upset that people don't fully agree with your takes. Please stop the drama.

 

[LeBowen]

Likewise, which why I stopped replying to anything you post. You posts "whatoboutism" as if you're some guru lol. You're posting your "opinions" the same as I am. It's a public site where you have the freedom to keep scrolling, yet you seem to get upset that people don't fully agree with your takes. Please stop the drama.

I'm no guru, far from it, I just try to post stuff based on realistic scenarios and guess what, a lot of it actually happens.
I was writing about both Barnes and Fox being potential targets way before the trades actually happened.

I don't understand the need of some people to be the never ending fountains of negativity while the Spurs are looking like they have by far the best future in the league and while all the players seem to really like each other.

 

[kxs783]

I'm no guru, far from it, I just try to post stuff based on realistic scenarios and guess what, a lot of it actually happens.
I was writing about both Barnes and Fox being potential targets way before the trades actually happened.

I don't understand the need of some people to be the never ending fountains of negativity while the Spurs are looking like they have by far the best future in the league and while all the players seem to really like each other.

Kudos to you. And who's being a fountain of negativity? You do know that what we write on these forums doesn't affect anything the Spurs and their organization do, right? So it sounds like it's only negative because someone might not agree with what you're saying. Also please don't think you have the power to affect these players friendships and relationships with what you post on here. You're just a fan on the outside looking in and giving opinions like the rest of us. Once you realize this, you'll learn not to get so "annoyed" about this stuff.

 

[spurraider21]

His man to man defense was the most impressive part of his game yesterday. Absolute wall in iso

 

[DAF86]

So tell me who's getting replaced? My point exactly. You guys thinking a MAX player is coming off the bench as a 6th man or is getting traded after year 1, have to be the most delusional people ever lol. My God.

Fox is getting traded in 2 years, hopefully after we got him a championship already. To a place he chooses, so we can do right by him and everybody is happy.

 

[spursfanfromafar]

Harper's progress has been steadily on an uptick ever since a blip when he hit a rookie wall in December and January. It has been a major subtext of the Spurs' ascension to contender status since early February but has received little attention. And I think the major reason for Harper's success is that he has been utilized expertly by Mitch as part of the three-guard monster.

By sharing the court with either Fox or Castle, Harper has been given the remit to identify the crevices that come up in the opposing team's defense as a sometime-primary and sometime-secondary option and this he has done expertly with a lot of poise, belying his rookie status. He has also improved his defense dramatically and has outperformed expectations on that end of the floor. Arguably, he has been better than Castle was in his first year, but that is also because Castle didn't play with Wemby in the second half of last season.

The playoffs will be a big test for all the Spurs but especially so for Harper as he is the youngest of the lot. Whatever the outcome, it will be great learning for the kid whose downhill game is peerless for his age cohort and who has developed a consistent catch-and-shoot three point shot. Will he adjust to the paint-bound defenses in the playoffs and shoot more floaters, middies and fadeaways? Will he continue to find the open man (one pass away) as he penetrates defenses? Will he continue to play strong and aggressive defense without fouling? If the Spurs play the Nuggets in round 2, will Harper time his double-teaming of Jokic/ Murray at the right instance and not result in mismatches/ easy buckets for corner shooters/ cutters? Will his play force Mitch to play him in the clutch moments as well?

These are the questions that he will seek to answer, rather than forcing questions on Spurs fans such as whether he will start next year or not. I think the Spurs will continue to farm their three guard monster in such a way that Harper and Castle become even more consistent and reliable while Fox is the experienced hand guiding them to do so. I expect the three guard monster to remain a Spurs thing for at least two more years, before the Spurs feel the pinch of having to pay Wemby, Castle and Harper beyond their rookie contracts. Only then will they think of moving away from Fox. Not when these three are the keys to domination in the league alongside the cheat-code alien MVP in Wemby.

 

[LeBowen]

Kudos to you. And who's being a fountain of negativity? You do know that what we write on these forums doesn't affect anything the Spurs and their organization do, right? So it sounds like it's only negative because someone might not agree with what you're saying. Also please don't think you have the power to affect these players friendships and relationships with what you post on here. You're just a fan on the outside looking in and giving opinions like the rest of us. Once you realize this, you'll learn not to get so "annoyed" about this stuff.

It doesn't affect the team, but it does affect the forum itself.
You were the one you replied to, but over the course of this season there were hundreds of posts that basically boil down to "when is Fox getting traded", while the atmosphere on the team is at an all-time high and those scenarios are nothing but baseless fanfiction.
And even more annoying because some other members, myself included, put an effort into explaining the cap situation in depth only for it to be completely disregarded because most fans base their Fox assumptions on the cap situation, which won't be an issue before he entres his final year and Harper is up for an extension.
And even then, would it kill the Spurs ownership to pay one year of luxury tax?

 

[kxs783]

@LeBoweand please pull up any post where I've called any of our players, dumb, stupid, trash or need to be traded like so many in here like to do if ypu want to get on the topic of negativity.

 

[DAF86]

It doesn't affect the team, but it does affect the forum itself.
You were the one you replied to, but over the course of this season there were hundreds of posts that basically boil down to "when is Fox getting traded", while the atmosphere on the team is at an all-time high and those scenarios are nothing but baseless fanfiction.
And even more annoying because some other members, myself included, put an effort into explaining the cap situation in depth only for it to be completely disregarded because most fans base their Fox assumptions on the cap situation, which won't be an issue before he entres his final year and Harper is up for an extension.
And even then, would it kill the Spurs ownership to pay one year of luxury tax?

I don't think you can keep Harper on the bench untill the end of his rookie contract. A 3 guards lineup could work, but it would be far from ideal, imho.

I agree it is useless to worry about that now, but this is a sports forum and part of the fun is arguing about useless things that we have no control over, tbh.

 

[kxs783]

It doesn't affect the team, but it does affect the forum itself.
You were the one you replied to, but over the course of this season there were hundreds of posts that basically boil down to "when is Fox getting traded", while the atmosphere on the team is at an all-time high and those scenarios are nothing but baseless fanfiction.
And even more annoying because some other members, myself included, put an effort into explaining the cap situation in depth only for it to be completely disregarded because most fans base their Fox assumptions on the cap situation, which won't be an issue before he entres his final year and Harper is up for an extension.
And even then, would it kill the Spurs ownership to pay one year of luxury tax?

All I'm saying is the Spurs signed Fox to a max extension AFTER having Harper. They had the perfect opportunity to get off of him if they wanted to. This is for all of the people saying Fox will be traded or benched next year because of Harper. That doesn't make much business or common sense for the organization to do. That was my whole point in this.

 

[LeBowen]

I don't think you can keep Harper on the bench untill the end of his rookie contract. A 3 guards lineup could work, but it would be far from ideal, imho.

I agree it is useless to worry about that now, but this is a sports forum and part of the fun is arguing about useless things that we have no control over, tbh.

If Harper continues improving at his current rate and spacing isn't an issue, we can do whatever.
Harper+Bryant as SF/PF will undoubtedly be better than Devin+Champ if we're talking defense as soon as the next season.

All I'm saying is the Spurs signed Fox to a max extension AFTER having Harper. They had the perfect opportunity to get off of him if they wanted to. This is for all of the people saying Fox will be traded or benched next year because of Harper. That doesn't make much business or common sense for the organization to do. That was my whole point in this.

Fox got the max extension the moment he got traded to the Spurs, for all intents and purposes and that take is exactly why I get annoyed.
Anyone thinking that not extending, let alone trading Fox would've been something Spurs would even consider is being completely unrealistic and talking whataboutism.
Business sense? Fuck over an all-star that forced his way to your team for a massive discount price and you're never getting anyone relevant to join you ever again, Wemby or not.
Fox being overpaid by like 5% of the cap does way less "damage" to the Spurs than not extending him would've done.

Not to mention Harper and Castle always talk about how much Fox has helped them.
Don't get me wrong, I'm in the wait for the playoffs camp and if someone doesn't deliver in neither 2026 nor 2027 playoffs, he has to go.