CHICAGO –- It wasn’t just Cooper Flagg who was being watched closely on lottery night.
Dylan Harper, who most view as the heavy favorite to be the No. 2 pick (FanDuel Sportsbook has him at -2400 to go second) was also having his micro-expressions overanalyzed. Like Flagg, he’s now in a situation he may not have expected after San Antonio landed the No. 2 pick.
The Spurs drafted guard Stephon Castle with the No. 4 pick last year, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year. They also traded for point guard De’Aaron Fox, who is in the prime of his All-Star career. In short, there are questions about how much of an immediate opportunity Harper might have in San Antonio — as opposed to other lottery destinations like Washington or Brooklyn, where he likely would have had the ball in his hands from jump street.
While it may not be a foregone conclusion that the Spurs will inevitably pick Harper, he has reportedly come around quickly to the idea of joining one of the league’s most respected franchises, which now appears set up to contend for the next decade-plus.
But Harper’s name isn’t just circulating in mock drafts. It’s also being floated in the league’s early offseason rumor mill.
2025 NBA Mock Draft: Cooper Flagg goes No. 1 to Mavericks, Duke teammate Kon Knueppel moves into top five
Cameron Salerno
Maybe the biggest topic of speculation this week in Chicago at the draft combine was the potential trade market for Giannis Antetokounmpo — and whether San Antonio’s No. 2 pick could be involved. It was reported just hours before Monday’s lottery that Antetokounmpo might be open to a potential trade. With Wembanyama and Fox, the Spurs would not only present an opportunity to win now, but they also hold valuable assets acquired from other teams that might intrigue Milwaukee.
Would San Antonio consider moving Castle and the No. 2 pick, allowing the Bucks to rebuild around Harper and last year’s Rookie of the Year? Many in Chicago were chewing on that scenario, a version of which CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn detailed in five could-be trades involving Giannis.
- Bucks get: Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, 2025 No. 2 overall pick, most favorable of Milwaukee and New Orleans’ first-round pick in 2026
- Pelicans get: No. 14 pick, Atlanta’s unprotected 2027 first-round pick
- Spurs get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Even if a deal involving Antetokounmpo feels far-fetched, the Spurs’ position has drawn plenty of attention. Other stars, like Kevin Durant, are also being loosely speculated about in league circles, but San Antonio would not trade the No. 2 pick for the aging star.
Still, there doesn’t appear to be much expectation that the No. 2 pick is going on the open market. For now, all eyes remain on Harper — and how San Antonio ultimately chooses to use a selection that could help shape the top of the draft or shake up the trade landscape entirely.