The rising star eyes a permanent spot alongside Victor Wembanyama, challenging the backcourt hierarchy and fueling competition with veteran De’Aaron Fox for a place in the opening five.
The judgments are largely in on San Antonio Spurs youngster Dylan Harper: As demonstrated on the court in his rookie season and then in the NBA playoffs as well, stardom is within his reach.
And so, he believes, is a starting role.
At one point in his conversation with GQ Sports, he speaks of a goal of winning Sixth Man of the Year while standing out for a Spurs team that is plotting a return to the NBA Finals.
That would place him, rotationally, behind De'Aaron Fox, an established All-Star who had some late-season ups and downs with the team as it eventually succumbed to the New York Knicks in the Finals.
That's one reason Fox's name keeps coming up in trade rumors.
Another is the assumed climb of Harper, who at age 20 makes for an enticing backcourt mate alongside Stephon Castle ... both of them, of course, in support of MVP candidate big man Victor Wembanyama.
And along the path of that climb?
Maybe "Sixth Man of the Year'' isn't really what Harper wants.
At another point in the interview, he - maybe playfully - notes while visiting along with the interviewer and with Castle, "What's the political(ly-correct) answer here? 'I'm going to do whatever the team needs me to do, man, If that's come off the bench ...
"That's crazy. No. I ain't coming off no bench.''
We don't see this as a budding controversy, a poke at Fox or a demand from a young player who, as the No. 2 player taken in his NBA Draft, naturally wishes to achieve.
Instead - as Harper has spoken at Media Day now in ways that soften his statement - let's allow this to be a positive: There will be training camp competition and season-long competition for spots on the Spurs pecking order.
Castle, Fox and Harper can combine to make all of this into a collective strength.
Harper has the ability to score and to work as a play-maker ... and there are certainly those who are Spurs watchers who are more excited about what he can be than they are excited about what Fox is.
At some point, head coach Mitch Johnson will have to make a decision.
But for now?
Well, "What is the politically-correct answer'' here?
Roll the basketball out there in the vincinity of Castle, Harper and Fox and see what happens.
