De’Aaron Fox’s Spurs training camp workouts brought a full group of teammates to his Houston home this week. In a separate interview, rookie Dylan Harper used the same week to reject speculation that his rise has created tension between the two guards.
According to San Antonio Express-News reporter Tom Orsborn, Victor Wembanyama, Tobias Harris, Harrison Barnes, Carter Bryant, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Jordan McLaughlin all joined Fox for on-court sessions. Fox explained his reasoning directly: “Training camp can’t be the first time getting together as a team. You are going to be behind and trying to be playing catch up.” Harris, newly signed to a two-year deal, framed his presence similarly: “I always believe that iron sharpens iron.”
A team with a real title window
The Spurs lost in last season’s NBA Finals to New York, meaning the roster’s title window is no longer theoretical. Fox treating informal late-summer workouts as a competitive necessity, rather than simple conditioning, reflects a team that believes it is close enough to contend and cannot afford to waste preparation time.
The sessions also give new and returning players a chance to establish basic timing before coaches install formal camp schemes. That matters for a group balancing veteran additions with young players who may be asked to take on larger roles.
Dylan Harper addresses the Fox chatter directly
Harper, a First Team All-Rookie selection last season who started only four games while backing up Fox, spoke with Scoop B’s Brandon Robinson about persistent speculation that his emergence had created friction with the veteran point guard.
Harper rejected that framing without hedging. “Fox basically took me under his wing my whole first year,” he said. “Me and him never had a problem… he’s kind of my uncle. He just teaches me things I don’t think anyone else could teach me.” He also described using the weeks after San Antonio’s Finals loss to rest, assess his rookie season and prepare for the next one.
Why the relationship matters
Point guard timeshares can become flashpoints, particularly when a young player develops quickly beside an established veteran. What these two developments show is a veteran inviting the same young guard who could eventually compete for his role into private workouts, and a rookie crediting that veteran as an important mentor.
None of that guarantees perfect harmony once minutes and games are at stake. Competition remains competition. But the available evidence does not support an active feud: Harper was part of Fox’s workout group, and both players’ public comments point toward collaboration rather than conflict.
The bigger picture for a deep Spurs roster
The full attendee list also illustrates how San Antonio’s rotation has changed. Carter Bryant, Stephon Castle and Harper trained alongside established players such as Harris, Barnes and Fox. That cross-generational participation is useful for a contender whose margin may depend on bench minutes as much as star production.
Jordan McLaughlin’s presence matters as well. A dependable reserve guard can help stabilize second units and reduce the regular-season workload on Fox and Harper. Wembanyama remains the center of the Spurs’ plans, but the quality of the rotation around him will influence whether San Antonio can turn another deep postseason run into a championship.
Early workouts cannot decide an NBA season, but they can prevent camp from becoming the first time teammates learn one another’s tendencies. For a team entering the year with championship expectations, that is a practical head start rather than a symbolic one.
For the wider outlook, read NBA Trending’s analysis of ESPN’s Spurs projection.