Dylan Harper is playing a rare role for a second overall pick, and the NBA playoffs might present some overlooked challenges for the youngster.
If you're a frequent reader of SpursRoundtable (and you really should be!), then you're aware of the "concerns" surrounding the Spurs as they prepare for the playoffs. You're also likely aware of how I feel about them.
Throughout their entire 2025-26 campaign, the Spurs have successfully dismissed any major concerns. Injury-prone? Not really. Can't shoot 3-pointers? Well, they're around league average and can slice you up in so many different ways that it doesn't really matter. Lack of experience? Let their record against top teams speak for itself.
So far, they've been able to withstand any worries fans and the media may have had. However, as the playoffs draw near, there's one irrational stressor I just can't shake.
Dylan Harper Will Be In Uncharted Water
For the most part, I tend to think that team success gets downplayed when prospects come out of college. Proven winners at the college level tend to fare better than one-and-done players who never found much team success.
Hopefully, Dylan Harper can be the exception to that rule. So far, he has been averaging an impressive 11.5 points and 3.9 assists off the bench in his rookie season, playing a much smaller role than most second-overall picks.
This season, Harper has been able to enjoy a relatively stress-free development. He's had some excellent games, leading the Spurs in scoring more than once, but at the end of the day, the burden of backcourt success falls on De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and even Devin Vassell. Harper has plenty of room for error.
In the playoffs, that's won't really be the case. If he showcases some rookie jitters or makes foolish mistakes, expect Mitch Johnson to keep him on a short leash. Of course, so far in his career, that hasn't really been a concern, but it's worth noting that Harper hasn't played truly meaningful postseason basketball since high school.
Will the Spurs live and die by Harper in the playoffs? Nope, but they will count on him to be a steady ball handler and an improved shooter, both of which he has shown flashes of recently. The Spurs' game plan largely hinges on their depth, and Harper has become a key bench piece on one of the best second units in the NBA.
If he can't rise to the occasion or flounders under the pressure, the Spurs have a former Clutch Player of the Year in Fox to turn to, but do they really want him playing 40 minutes a game?