Rise of Dylan Harper one of five key questions Spurs must answer

A bit of greater than every week in the past, Victor Wembanyama signed off for the summer time with three phrases.

“See you never,” he informed reporters as he left the interview podium after the Spurs’ out-of-nowhere NBA Finals run resulted in Game 5 towards the New York Knicks.

“Never” appears to be an exaggeration.

Wembanyama and the Spurs will probably be again within the fall to proceed the chase for the franchise’s sixth NBA championship.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman will come again with a heftier checking account.

One of the primary orders of enterprise for the Spurs his offseason can even be the simplest. Wembanyama, the 22-year-old epicenter of what the Spurs hope is a dynasty within the making, is eligible for a five-year, $251-million extension this summer time.

That quantity escalates to $301 million if Wembanyama wins an MVP, Defensive Player of the Year award or makes an All-NBA workforce subsequent summer time.

The solely query the Spurs have for Wembanyama: How shortly are you able to signal?

Once the centerpiece is locked in place, Spurs common supervisor Brian Wright can go in regards to the activity of rounding out a roster constructed to make one other Finals run. With the offseason formally underway, listed here are five burning questions Wright and his front-office workforce must answer earlier than the Spurs return to the follow health club within the fall:

1. How will the backcourt logjam type itself out?

The Spurs will enter the offseason with a logjam of star guards within the backcourt, every of whom deliver one thing completely different to the desk.

How to allocate minutes between All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, former Rookie of the Year and defensive ace Stephon Castle and up-and-coming star Dylan Harper might be the workforce’s defining challenge of the summer time.

Harper thrived coming off the bench as a rookie, and could be a primary candidate for subsequent season’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year award if he stays there.

How lengthy a expertise like Harper will stay content material as a reserve stays to be seen, nonetheless. The 20-year-old might be knocking on the door of the Spurs’ beginning lineup as quickly as subsequent season.

That provides rise to the query of what to do with Fox, whose four-year, $229-million extension hits the books within the fall. The Spurs may ultimately look to dump Fox’s contract through commerce, which might additionally release backcourt minutes for Harper and Castle.

With the Spurs dedicated to Fox as their starter for the close to future, that might be a query for a unique offseason, nonetheless.

2. Will ‘The Senator’ come again for one more time period?

Of the Spurs’ high 10 scorers this season, solely Harrison Barnes is ready to change into a free agent when his contract expires on the finish of the month.

The 34-year-old veteran ahead noticed his position diminish all through the season after which disappear solely by the tip of the Finals. The Spurs will surely welcome again the erudite Barnes – who has earned the nickname “The Senator” — as a locker room presence, offered he’s keen to just accept restricted minutes and a steep pay minimize from the $19 million he earned final season.

Five different veteran end-of-the-bench gamers are additionally poised to change into free brokers. Of that listing, level guard Jordan McLaughlin is taken into account probably to return.

3. What different items can the Spurs add?

Wright’s want listing for the offseason appears easy sufficient. The Spurs want to add a traditional-sized energy ahead kind to play alongside Wembanyama, a rim-running backup huge man and one other “3-and-D” shooter.

Filling all of these wants might be simpler stated than carried out. The Spurs have a mid-level exception price about $15.1-million with which to lure exterior free brokers starting June 30.

That might be sufficient to make a run at a participant just like the LA Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, the LA Clippers’ John Collins, Portland’s Robert Williams III or Golden State’s Kristaps Porzingis.

As final summer time’s signing of Luke Kornet showcased, the Spurs are keen to be affected person and strategic when including items round Wembanyama.

4. Will Sean Sweeney show irreplaceable?

The Spurs have essential additions to make this summer time that transcend the court docket.

Associate head coach Sean Sweeney left on the conclusion of the Finals to change into the pinnacle coach in Orlando, leaving an enormous void on Mitch Johnson’s employees in San Antonio.

Sweeney’s affect on the Spurs can’t be overstated.

In solely one season on the bench, the 41-year-old Sweeney helped assemble a top-3 protection round Wembanyama. That unit solely grew extra stout through the Western Conference playoffs.

Now Sweeney is teaching Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in Orlando, and the Spurs will spend the summer time trying to find a alternative.

5. How a lot assist can the Spurs anticipate from the draft?

The Spurs arrive at Tuesday’s NBA draft armed with the No. 20 total decide, due to a swap with Atlanta stemming from the 2022 Dejounte Murray commerce. They additionally personal three picks in Wednesday’s second spherical (No. 35, No. 42 and No. 44).

Unlike the previous three seasons – when the Spurs drafted No. 1, No. 4 and No. 2 total – they need to not anticipate so as to add a game-changing rookie from the 20^th slot.

The membership may select to focus on a giant man with their first-round decide, with Santa Clara’s Allen Graves, Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr., Arizona’s Koa Peat and Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance thought of potentialities at that slot.

It is unlikely the Spurs use all three of their second-round picks and will look to commerce one or extra.