West Notes: Spurs, Dylan Harper, Jazz, Lauri Markkanen, Kings

Spurs

Top pick Dylan Harper looks ready for his first taste of NBA action. The No. 2 overall selection is expected to make his preseason debut Friday night when the Spurs host the Jazz, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

Harper, who had surgery in early September to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb, will play limited minutes. His recovery has stayed on schedule, a positive sign for a Spurs team already dealing with a few backcourt injuries.

The rookie guard was widely viewed as the second-best prospect in the 2025 draft class behind Cooper Flagg, and San Antonio took him even with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle in the fold.

Fox is nursing a hamstring strain and may not be ready for opening night, but both Castle and Harper are trending in the right direction.

Harper starred in his lone college season at Rutgers, averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 29 games. He played briefly for the Spurs’ summer squad in July, showing flashes of what made him such a coveted prospect.

Jazz

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen hasn’t seen preseason action yet, but that’s by design. The All-Star forward is still working back from a mild left wrist contusion suffered during Finland’s run to the EuroBasket semifinals, and the team is being cautious.

“It’s more maintenance,” head coach Will Hardy said, via The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen. “They just competed really hard for a month and laid it all on the line. It’s nothing we’re concerned about, just some bumps and bruises we want to manage.”

Markkanen said he expects to be ready for opening night but isn’t sure when he’ll return during the preseason.

While the injury doesn’t appear serious, his future in Utah remains a hot topic. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported this week that Markkanen’s name comes up more than any other when executives discuss potential trade targets.

The Ringer’s Zach Lowe recently said it’s hard to picture him still on the Jazz a year from now, though new team president Austin Ainge disagreed.

“I love Zach, but I don’t agree with that,” Ainge said, via Larsen. “Lauri’s awesome. He’s really good, and hopefully he’s part of our next team when we’re going up.”

Still, Ainge acknowledged the reality of the business.

“No one is untradeable,” he said. “If a trade came in for me, I’d convince Ryan (Smith) to take it.”

Markkanen, who re-signed with the Jazz last summer, is again trade-eligible and continues to downplay the noise.

“Pretty much anybody can get traded in this league,” he said. “You just play, enjoy the time with your teammates, and adjust if something happens.”

Kings

The Kings are adding another name to their preseason mix. Sacramento has agreed to sign free-agent guard Mitch Mascari, agent George Langberg told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Mascari, a 6-foot-5 sharpshooter, helped Northwest Missouri State capture back-to-back Division II national titles before transferring to Drake for his final college season.

He averaged 9.4 points and shot 40 percent from three, even playing all 40 minutes in Drake’s first-round NCAA tournament win over Missouri.

He later joined the Suns’ Summer League roster and averaged 1.7 points and 2.0 assists in three games.

Mascari’s deal is expected to be an Exhibit 10 contract, setting him up for a likely role with the G League’s Stockton Kings and a potential $85,300 bonus if he sticks for at least 60 days. Sacramento has open camp spots, so no corresponding move is needed.

The signing, along with the expected addition of forward Daniel Batcho, will round out the Kings’ preseason roster later today.

Finally, in case you missed it, we have the Sacramento season preview right here.