The lottery order is set in stone with draft buzz swirling. A moribund Mavericks fan base is rejoicing at a No. 1 draft pick that was as shocking as it was improbable. Meanwhile, the Spurs and 76ers revel in jumping the queue despite falling just out of reach of a franchise cornerstone in Cooper Flagg.

The San Antonio Spurs are at a fork in the road as it pertains to team-building, equipped with the assets and cap flexibility to choose their own adventure. Victor Wembanyama is already a mainstay in top-five player conversations, while Stephon 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 while cluttering the books with multiple max-salary slots. Additionally, it reconciles with the fact that Brian Wright and company 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 with 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, let’s dive into their options at No. 2.

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. The 2025 class 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, Dylan 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