Here is the challenge for everyone behind the Dallas Mavericks, who will invest the No. 1 pick on purported franchise centerpiece Cooper Flagg: He’s one of one.
Flagg is far and away the top prospect available Wednesday, but the 2025 NBA Draft pool is not devoid talent.
The San Antonio Spurs pick second. They’re at a fork in the road, equipped with the assets and cap flexibility to choose their own adventure. Victor Wembanyama is already a mainstay in elite player conversations while Stephen Castle, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan round out their youth movement.
The first avenue involves disassembling their young core and surrendering their pick equity in pursuit of premier star power — assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo is amenable to such a pairing. A roster recalibration that prioritizes winning in the immediate term clutters the books with multiple max salary slots. Additionally, it reconciles with the fact that Brian Wright and Co. voluntarily accelerated their timeline by locking down De’Aaron Fox as their lead guard and designated pick and roll ball handler for the foreseeable future.
The second avenue is staying the course. Standing fully behind their current nucleus in hopes of fostering another homegrown superstar to ride shotgun next to Wemby for the long haul. The low cap figure and team control of a burgeoning star on a rookie deal could dovetail nicely into sustained success.
There is no wrong answer. After all, this type of optionality only comes by once in a blue moon.
Should San Antonio elect to keep their powder dry and the Philadelphia 76ers are unable to tempt the Spurs with a trade offer, history isn’t purely against them hitting a winner number again.
The history of franchises falling second, or even third, in line for the league’s highest profile, franchise-altering No. 1 picks provides plenty of reassurance. Whether it be Chauncey Billups in 1997, Carmelo Anthony in 2003 or Ja Morant in 2019, the consolation prize in the wake of generational prospects has a glowing track record. 2025 proves to be no different with a three horse race for picks 2 through 4 that requires deep forethought.
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
Ostensibly the best player available at No. 2, Harper is a 6-foot-6 combo guard with the on-ball dynamism to flourish from day one. In many other draft classes, Harper would be No. 1 with a bullet. He has a command of the offense that is beyond his years, dictates pace with dribble creativity, and is capable of carving his way to the rim at will. With Fox and Castle penciled in as San Antonio’s backcourt of the future, the Spurs would need to redistribute the ball handling duties with the addition of Harper. Naturally, Castle would take a back seat. Harper’s long-term upside, compatibility with Wemby, and ability to pierce defenses on or off the ball may be too enticing to pass up.
Airious “Ace” Bailey, SF/SG, Rutgers
Taking away all of the off-court drama and character critique, Bailey is the best fit for a guard-heavy Spurs core. He possesses show-stopping talent that will need to be harnessed accordingly. An unambiguously elite pull-up shooter as well as a 38.7 percent 3-point shooter off the catch, Bailey’s size and skillset on the wing poses to amplify the Fox and Wemby two-man game. He can be weaponized on the second side by attacking closeouts and getting to his spots off the bounce. Additionally, Bailey has the measurables and tools to confront opposing wings defensively. In a streamlined role alongside both a perimeter and interior force, the possibilities are endless.
The trouble is, there’s no chance in the world the Spurs are willing to entertain a half-committed Bailey as the second pick in the draft if the franchise isn’t convinced he’s all in. At this point, how could they be?
V.J. Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
A preternatural athlete with eye-popping verticality and a serviceable jump shot, V.J. Edgecombe is a high-energy two-guard of the plug-and-play variety. He couples striking physical tools with dogged determination on both sides of the ball. V.J. is a highlight factory who runs the floor with abandon and detonates at the rim, complementing Fox’s transition tendencies perfectly. To top it off, Edgecombe is a day-ruining defender at the point of attack as well as away from the ball. If the Spurs see a world where he can dabble in small forward minutes with his 6-4 frame and 6-7 wingspan, he will be in the mix at No. 2.
–Ethan Ward, Field Level Media
