Outside of Cooper Flagg, Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is a prospect that most tanking teams would take in a heartbeat. Here is a ranking of the best fits for Dylan Harper among the five teams with the worst records in the NBA this season.
Ranking The Best Fit For Dylan Harper Among Bottom 5 Teams
#1: New Orleans Pelicans
Given the uncertain future of the New Orleans Pelicans and their roster, the franchise makes the most sense for Harper. The three players that the Pelicans want to keep are Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Yves Missi. With those three, Harper finds a perfect core to lead and they all perfectly fit with the Rutgers guard. The two forwards space the floor well when on the court and Jones offers excellent defense on the wing. Missi has shown excellent flashes as a defensive stalwart in the paint. Paired with Harper’s abilities as a lead guard, the Pelicans will have a fantastic core moving forward. Furthermore, Harper can immediately slot in as the starting point guard without competition should the Pelicans trade Dejounte Murray before the deadline. Undoubtedly, the Pelicans have great foundational pieces for Harper to lead into the next era of New Orleans basketball.
#2: Utah Jazz
The next team on this ranking is the Utah Jazz, and they are an excellent fit for Harper as well. Specifically, Harper will immediately have a young co-star in Lauri Markkanen to work with. Given that Markkanen is one of the best off-ball stars in the league due to his shooting, Harper can be utilized at his best as a primary ball-handler. Also, the frontcourt pieces in Walker Kessler and Kyle Filipowski give Harper multiple defensive options in the middle to work with, fitting with him perfectly. By the same token, Harper will have solid backcourt help in players like Keyonte George or Johnny Juzang. In George, Harper will have an additional scorer and playmaker to alleviate some of the offensive burden. In Juzang, he can serve as a decent 3-and-D guard off the bench. Altogether, Harper and the Jazz complement each other well.
#3: Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards go third in this ranking and would be a good fit for Harper. The Wizards have a talented defensive core in Bilal Coulibaly and Alexandre Sarr to pair with Harper, a versatile defender in his own right. He also has players like Jordan Poole, Corey Kispert, and Bub Carrington who can all space the floor for Harper. Additionally, Poole and Carrington can generate offense outside of Harper, which is a plus. There are certain questions surrounding the point guard room with Poole and Carrington. However, those are not a great concern as either guard can play in an off-ball role. Among the bottom five teams considered the best fit for Harper, the Wizards are a good fit.
#4: Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors come in fourth for this ranking and they would make a decent fit for Harper. All things considered, the Raptors have the personnel to complement Harper and what he brings. The team has floor spacers like Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, and Ja’Kobe Walter to surround a player like Harper. Not only that, but the Raptors have a co-star to pair with Harper in Scottie Barnes, and with him, the offensive burden will be lessened. Furthermore, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley can also assist Harper with the offensive burden. The concern with Harper’s fit in Toronto mostly comes from his fit with Quickley in the backcourt. The big question with that pairing is whether Quickley would accept Harper starting over him. A second question would be whether starting Quickley at the two would be feasible if he starts. Regardless, a partnership between Harper and the Raptors can work.
#5: Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets sit fifth in this ranking as Harper would not fit as well with the Hornets as opposed to the other teams. Simply, the reason for this placement is due to the fact that the Hornets do not need another lead guard. They already have LaMelo Ball, who fulfills everything that Harper can do as a player. Furthermore, it will be a waste of Harper’s potential to play next to or behind Ball. Given the redundancy, the Hornets occupy the bottom of this ranking.
The post Ranking The Best Fit For Dylan Harper Among Bottom 5 Teams appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.