Is Dylan Harper Worth 76ers Trying to Trade Up With Spurs for No. 2 Overall Pick?

Rumors are beginning to circulate in rapid fashion with the NBA draft quickly approaching. The Philadelphia 76ers, holding the No. 3 overall pick, could go in a number of directions. One recent report indicates the Sixers are considering attempting to trade up with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire the No. 2 overall pick.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the Sixers “have engaged” with the Spurs about moving up one spot in the NBA draft. There are two players clearly at the top of every team’s draft board. Cooper Flagg is a sensational talent who in all likelihood will be drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Behind Flagg is Rutgers guard Dylan Harper. If the Sixers do execute a trade with the Spurs, it would presumably be to move up and select Harper.

Harper, measuring in at the NBA combine at 6-foot-4 1/2 (without shoes) and 213.2 pounds, has both the talent and physical tools to be an elite guard at the next level. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field in his lone season at Rutgers. Where Harper truly excels at is his effortless ability to get to the basket. He has the ball handling, body control and touch to be a nightmare to defend at the rim. Harper was among the best in college basketball at finishing around the basket. He made 65.3% of his attempts at the rim, something rarely seen from the guard position.

The New Jersey native is also capable of scoring at all three levels. While he shot just 33.3% from 3-point range overall, Harper was effective in catch-and-shoot situations. He connected on 38.3% of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers at Rutgers. Harper also found success from the free-throw line, taking 5.8 attempts per game and making them at a 75.0% clip. All the tools are there for Harper to be a go-to scorer at the NBA level.

While Harper is a good scorer, he also possesses the playmaking ability to be a lead guard. He has the court vision to effectively read defenses and the passing skills to be able to take advantage of even the smallest opening. What makes Harper dangerous as a lead creator is his ability to manipulate opposing defenses. This can be seen primarily in pick-and-roll situations. Harper can leverage his threat to score into getting his teammates open looks. If opposing defenses give Harper too much space, he has the ball handling, strength and quickness to get by his man and punish the defense. Once he gets going downhill, Harper is difficult to stop.

On the other end of the floor, Harper has the makings of being a solid defender. He plays with a competitive edge that should impress any NBA team which drafts him. His size (6-foot-4 1/2 without shoes, 6-foot-10 1/2 wingspan and 8-foot-6 standing reach) gives him the versatility to be able to defend both guards and wings. Harper can defend at the point of attack while also having the quickness and instincts to beat players to spots. He is good at causing turnovers, as evidenced by his 1.4 steals per game at Rutgers.

If the Sixers are able to get their hands on Harper, they should draft him without a second thought. There is some concern about the Sixers drafting another guard when they already have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes (pending restricted free agent) on the roster. The worries about a potential positional logjam if the Sixers were to draft Harper are alleviated by his fit next to both Maxey and McCain.

Adding Harper, who thrives with the ball in his hands and is capable of successfully running the offense, would allow Maxey to move to more of an off-ball role. Taking the lead-guard pressure off of Maxey should allow him to focus more on being an elite scoring threat. One of his most efficient seasons came when playing off-ball next to James Harden in the 2022-23 season. During that campaign, Maxey scored 20.3 points per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and a career-high 43.4% from 3-point range.

Harper would also be a good fit defensively next to either Maxey or McCain. He has a bigger athletic profile and is a better defender coming out of college. Harper would be able to take on the primary defensive assignment on the perimeter on most nights. Maxey has made strides as a defender over the past couple of seasons. However, he remains just slightly above average on that end of the floor.

Considering Harper is the consensus second-best player in this draft class, why would the Spurs not select him with the No. 2 overall pick? San Antonio’s backcourt already consists of De’Aaron Fox and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. While they could stand pat at their pick and select Harper, the poor positional fit pries the door open just slightly for other teams to try to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick.

What would it cost Philadelphia, in addition to the No. 3 pick, to move up one spot in the draft? If the Spurs were interested in player compensation, the Sixers could give up McCain. He flashed a lot of potential in his rookie season, averaging 15.3 points while shooting 46.0% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range. However, his season was cut short after he tore his meniscus in mid-December. McCain would fit in well as an off-ball scorer for the Spurs.

If the Spurs wanted to center the compensation around future draft capital, the Sixers are well equipped with the assets to make a formidable offer. Any conversation would likely start with the Los Angeles Clippers’ unprotected 2028 first-round pick. The Sixers own that selection via the Harden trade. The Clippers currently have an aging core and could enter a rebuild in the coming seasons. As a result, that 2028 pick could end up being towards the top of the first round. If the Sixers were unwilling to part with the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick, they have multiple other picks to offer. Philadelphia controls most of their future draft picks. They could package together a pair of them in an effort to move up to the second overall pick.

It remains to be seen if the Spurs are actually entertaining offers to trade out of the No. 2 pick. If they are, the Sixers should be calling and attempting to negotiate a trade. Harper is in a different tier from any player who would be available with the No. 3 overall pick. Adding Harper, a potential franchise centerpiece, to the roster is not an opportunity the Sixers should pass up on.