Player The restricted-age video store section of Dylan Harper
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FiestaSpurs
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spursfanfromafar
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Its been a rough last few games for Dylan, who I think has officially hit the rookie wall. Its a bit frustrating to see Harper not even trying to do what he does best - breakdown defenses in the paint in half court settings and playing more like a connector than a point guard now. Here's hoping that Harper overcomes issues in this tough phase and gets down to brasstacks and what he does best. And hopefully also develop a floater/ mid-range shot.
Thankfully his defense is still more or less fine, though nothing spectacular.
Thankfully his defense is still more or less fine, though nothing spectacular.
It doesn't seem he has a floater. He really needs one. We didn't really have a chance to see if he had one when he was getting to the rim and finishing off the glass all those games earlier in the season, but now that he's not doing that (whether it's the rookie wall or something else), it doesn't look like he has a floater and/or a mid-range game either. I didn't love reading those pre-draft/post-draft stories about his mom making him not shoot any jump shots when she first started training him. I hope she did work on shooting with him as he got older because it doesn't look like he has much of an offensive game outside of the paint.
Mitch Cumsteen
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Does the rookie wall explain why he's missing so many easy shots at the rim that he was making earlier in the season? It seems like he's getting to the basket with ease and getting the same looks, he's just missing bunny after bunny. Hopefully he shakes out of it soon. It's been a bad stretch for both he and Castle. They need at least one of them to convert at the rim with some sort of consistency.
DaSlicer
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The wall is a mental thing so yes I would say the wall has to do with him even missing easy layups. He's starting to get frustrated with how defenses are playing him now that it's starting to affect him mentally which results in failure to do simple things such as converting bunnies.
Getting Harper was obviously a gift long term, but a curse short term. They all but had to take his superior upside to not only Edgecombe and Knueppel, but Fox and Castle too, but in doing so an already questionable fit in the back court became untenable.
Fox, Harper and Castle taking turns being injured early was a blessing in disguise. Then, it briefly appeared to work because of outlier 3 point shooting from Barnes, Fox and Vassell and a rare run of health from the latter. Now, reality has set in.
If Fox has to continue to operate as more of a secondary ball handler and Harper is limited to mostly backing up Fox and Castle and Harper need to be mostly split, how long will they all remain copacetic?
Fox, Harper and Castle taking turns being injured early was a blessing in disguise. Then, it briefly appeared to work because of outlier 3 point shooting from Barnes, Fox and Vassell and a rare run of health from the latter. Now, reality has set in.
If Fox has to continue to operate as more of a secondary ball handler and Harper is limited to mostly backing up Fox and Castle and Harper need to be mostly split, how long will they all remain copacetic?
spursparker9
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Harper's slump should be mental...
He is currently averaging 10.4 / 3.2 / 3.5 in 21 mins and played 29 games. He missed around 3.5 weeks during November 2025. Hence, physically he is getting lesser workload compared to his peers.
Flagg - 18.9 / 6.4 / 4.2 in 34 mins and played 38 games.
VJ -16.1 / 5.5 / 4.2 in 36 mins and played 33 games.
Kon - 19.1 / 5.1 / 3.6 in 32 mins and played 38 games.
Ace Bailey - 10.1 / 3.2 / 1.5 in 23 mins and played 31 games.
Coward - 13.9 / 6.7 / 2.9 in 26 mins and played 36 games.
Fears - 14.4 / 3.6 / 3.1 in 26 mins and played 41 games.
Queen - 12.8 / 7.4 / 4.3 in 26 mins and played 40 games
He is currently averaging 10.4 / 3.2 / 3.5 in 21 mins and played 29 games. He missed around 3.5 weeks during November 2025. Hence, physically he is getting lesser workload compared to his peers.
Flagg - 18.9 / 6.4 / 4.2 in 34 mins and played 38 games.
VJ -16.1 / 5.5 / 4.2 in 36 mins and played 33 games.
Kon - 19.1 / 5.1 / 3.6 in 32 mins and played 38 games.
Ace Bailey - 10.1 / 3.2 / 1.5 in 23 mins and played 31 games.
Coward - 13.9 / 6.7 / 2.9 in 26 mins and played 36 games.
Fears - 14.4 / 3.6 / 3.1 in 26 mins and played 41 games.
Queen - 12.8 / 7.4 / 4.3 in 26 mins and played 40 games
Geez, Ace Bailey and him are similar (although I need to look at their shooting percentages).
Man, he's nowhere close to the rookie of the year conversation at this point. These past few weeks, he's eliminated himself from the race (not that I cared about it).
Man, he's nowhere close to the rookie of the year conversation at this point. These past few weeks, he's eliminated himself from the race (not that I cared about it).
spursparker9
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Both Ace and Harper shooting % are equally bad
Harper - 42.6% FG, 24.7 3P%
Ace - 43.8% FG, 34.9 3P%
Harper is for sure out of ROY conversation. Flagg and Kon Nipple are the only worthy candidates.
Harper is in danger of making all rookie 2nd team too if he continues his slump.
I'm quite disappointed at where Dylan's at right now. Number 2 pick has a bunch of rookies playing better than him.Both Ace and Harper shooting % are equally bad
Harper - 42.6% FG, 24.7 3P%
Ace - 43.8% FG, 34.9 3P%
Harper is for sure out of ROY conversation. Flagg and Kon Nipple are the only worthy candidates.
Harper is in danger of making all rookie 2nd team too if he continues his slump.
Thanks for the shooing percentages. I'd rather Ace's 34.9% , but Dylan is the superior passer. I don't know, I don't like than he hasn't even separated himself from Ace at this point.
I hope he can fight his way out of this and be the player we know he can be the rest of the season. It all starts with shooting and he has to be better than 24% from three point range.
brazil
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Harper will be fine, he did not lose his game suddenly, he is hitting rookie wall not physically I think but mentally. He is missing bunnies at the rim that he was converting with ease in the beginning of the season. He needs to calm down, breathe and go through it. Defenses are starting to pay attention and he will have to adapt.
Same goes with Castle.
For me it is not a coincidence both are struggling at the same time our 3 pts shooting is a mess. One thing Spurs have not addressed during the offseason is shooting. This team as constructed needs a fuck load of spacing, you don't get spacing when you shoot 20% from 3s. Spurs have been blessed, lucky, competent... whatever you want to call it to see Vassell, Champ, Barnes shooting 3s at elite level the first 30 games or so, law of averages is now in full effect. I did not think I would say that one day but we need Vassell back asap.
Same goes with Castle.
For me it is not a coincidence both are struggling at the same time our 3 pts shooting is a mess. One thing Spurs have not addressed during the offseason is shooting. This team as constructed needs a fuck load of spacing, you don't get spacing when you shoot 20% from 3s. Spurs have been blessed, lucky, competent... whatever you want to call it to see Vassell, Champ, Barnes shooting 3s at elite level the first 30 games or so, law of averages is now in full effect. I did not think I would say that one day but we need Vassell back asap.
frenchfred
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one ping pong ball away from Flagg, imagine the team with him instead. I like Harper but he is one-trick pony at this point and teams understand that now. He needs to develop a jumper and/or a floater like TP. TP was able to contribute even without being a great 3-point shooter by going into the paint with his floater.
Alright, I've been thinking a bit about it and I'm not going to pussyfoot around. I could be wrong, but to me, it looks like Dylan has lost confidence and I don't like seeing that. Look at Steph for example, he's lost zero confidence. Dylan's the more talented player, but I trust Steph and believe in him more because his confidence is always there. Dylan needs to get his confidence back, and quick, because he was really making great progress throughout the season up until teams starting playing them differently. Teams have shut off the lane, but so what. I don't care how he plays (while he and the team is figuring it out), I just want him to continue playing with the confidence he was showing the whole season up until recently.
Correct Crusader
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I mean Dylan is still shooting threes when left open so I'm not sure I agree with your assessment. The biggest thing I see right now is he's rushing his finishes down low instead of picking apart his defender. I'm sure that's mostly because he feels he has very little time and has to get it up quick but he should be aware of that.
He's doing things right (shooting open 3s like you said), but I still do think he's lost a bit of confidence. He's not playing with swagger like he did early on and that feels/looks like a loss of confidence to me. I'm not saying he's lost all confidence, just a little, and I think that is making him not play at his best anymore. He's not playing at full speed anymore and it looks like he's thinking a little bit now. The hanging of his head after missing layups a few games back is a tell if you ask me. Not sure how quickly he moves on for those though. If he wipes the slate clean on the next play, I don't know. Just saying what it looks like to me.
I agree with what you said about rushing shots down low. I still think there is some truth to what I said, though, regardless of him still trying to play the right way. I could be wrong, but I just want to see that swagger back while he's learning/trying to adjust.
frenchfred
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He has the tools so he’ll be okay but he is not playing like a 2nd pick this year. He might need more time than Castle to develop.
Yeah I agree with the observation here but not the implication. His long term trajectory is still fine. He demonstrated baseline eliteness with what he is capable of. But I do think this steep drop off is concerning. He isn’t moving the same way. Seems much slower and heavy footed. The confidence is one thing. He just doesn’t look explosive anymore. Which is weird.
