Overview
- No final decision has been announced and, as of Tuesday, coach Mitch Johnson is expected to use preseason and early‑season minutes to settle the rotation.
- An NBA insider and commentators have suggested the Spurs could open the season with the three guards together to accommodate Harper’s rapid rise.
- Other analysts argue the team should keep last season’s starting five intact because that unit outscored opponents by 17.6 points per 100 possessions in the regular season and 22.4 in the postseason.
- Harper broke out as a rookie and led San Antonio’s offense in the Finals, and he publicly joked about not wanting to come off the bench before walking that comment back.
- De'Aaron Fox’s roughly $221 million contract is a material factor in the debate because moving him off the bench could harm his market value and the Spurs’ ability to trade his salary later.