SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloadin g and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images It’s been a controversy-free offseason for the Spurs so far (at least outside the broadcast booth), but if there was anything that raised a few eyebrows, it was the unverified rumor that guard Dylan Harper was unhappy in a bench role during his rookie season and would demand a starting role going forward. Despite the rumor coming from a parody X account and Ron Harper, Sr. pointing out that it was fake, it never completely went away, leading to speculation over if the Spurs either needed to start looking at the trade market for De’Aaron Fox or consider a three-guard starting line-up, featuring those two alongside Stephon Castle. However, Dylan has now spoken up himself in an interview with DJ Siddiqi of RG.org. When asked about his goals for next season, he noted that his only goal (besides individual improvement) is the same as the entire team’s: to learn from what went wrong in the Finals and make up for it next year. When specifically asked to confirm if that that means he’s fine in any role — starter or bench — he reassured that he’s just grateful to be playing and the logistics don’t matter. (In other words, yes, he’s fine with a bench role.) Q: Your second season’s coming up here. There are high expectations. Do you have any concrete objectives in your mind? Whether that’s statistical, whether that’s on the court as far as where you want to improve? Harper: Nah, man. I feel like the biggest thing for me in every year is really just getting better every day, learning from the people around me and learning from my own experiences and just trying not to make the same mistakes over and over again. But for me, it’s not really just anything personal. I feel like we all have that one team goal that we felt like that we should have had last year. I feel like that’s really the only thing on that. That’s the only thing that’s on everyone’s mind. Q: So simply put, it’s team-based over any sort of individual objectives. That’s what’s on your mind. Harper: Yes, sir. Q: And it doesn’t matter to you, you were coming off the bench your first season, your rookie season. It doesn’t matter to you whether you’re a starter or whether you’re a bench player, right? Harper: No, I feel like regardless, I’m in the NBA. There’s only like 450 people in the NBA, and I get a chance to go on the court and play with the best of the best. I feel like those kinds of things and those logistics at the end of the day, in the big scheme of things, it’s not going to affect me and how I approach every day. Speaking of the Finals, he discussed what the team learned from the experience (the answer is pretty obvious) and how he feels about the team going forward. Q: What was the biggest thing that you learned from that experience? Obviously, you guys led for a great duration of that series. You came up a little short, but what can you take from that series moving forward? Harper: I think the biggest thing is probably closing out games, and I think just knowing exactly what we’re gonna do in certain times, I think the biggest thing for us is we got a year under our belt. I think this year for us, the first year we’re all together as a team, and I feel like the sky’s the limit for us. Finally, he discussed what it’s like playing with Wemby, his leadership style, and what it meant seeing him take a discount for the team. Q: I want to talk to you about Wemby. Obviously, a heck of a player, man. It shows how much he cares about the team that he took less money than the max on his extension. Talk about what that means, and talk about what type of player and leader he is behind the scenes — maybe that fans don’t know about. Harper: I feel like for a 22-year-old, he’s probably one of the best leaders I’ve been around, just the way he carries himself, his maturity, from top to bottom, whether it’s basketball treatment, in the weight room, personal life. I feel like he’s kind of structured his life in a way that has worked for him, and I think he’s the most genuine person ever. When that came out, I feel like yes, it was a surprise to everyone. But I mean, that’s just the type of person he is. There were other topics of discussion in the interview, so be sure to check out the entire thing, but it’s good to know that the Spurs may not be facing as many line-up decisions as some wanted to believe heading into next season. Harper’s time as a starter will surely come, but it’s reassuring to know he is ready and willing to take on whatever role as asked of him for the betterment of the team, and in an unselfish and professional manner, like any true Spur would. ...read more read less