ByJoey Heldon June 26, 2025inArticles›Sports News

The NBA Draft is always an exciting time, as the next wave of stars enter the league. One of those players, Dylan Harper, is heading to San Antonio after the Spurs selected him with the No. 2 pick. The 6'6″ guard averaged nearly 20 points a game during his lone season at Rutgers, and he joins a Spurs team with another All-Star talent in Victor Wembanyama .

Harper also happens to be the son of Ron Harper , who spent 15 years in the NBA. The elder Harper played in over 1,000 games for his career, averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest. He also won five championships—three with the Chicago Bulls in 1996, 1997, and 1998, and two with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 and 2001.

Harper now has TWO sons who are NBA players.

Ron Harper Jr. went undrafted during the 2022 season and is currently a member of the Detroit Pistons. Ron Jr. made $315,000 in the 2024/2025 season and will make $636,000 in the 2025/2026 season.

And then there’s Dylan Harper. Dylan will enter the NBA with a contract that will earn him more in THREE seasons than his father earned during his entire 15-season NBA career!

Dylan Harper Will Make More From His Rookie Contract Than His Father Did During His Entire 15 - 1

Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

First-round rookie contracts are on a sliding scale. Teams can sign their picks for as much as 120% of the salary level at a particular selection, with the No. 1 pick eligible for the most money and the No. 30 pick eligible for the least. That 120% salary is for the first three years of the deal. In Harper’s case, Year 4 has a 26.2% increase, and year 5 is a qualifying offer that’s a 40.5% jump from the fourth-year salary.

Years three and four are team options, and most teams typically tend to re-sign players by the time that fourth year comes to a close (forgoing the qualifying offer in the fifth year in favor of another extension). So, let’s just look at Harper’s first four years, assuming he’ll get 120% of the rookie salary scale for the second pick:

  • Year 1: $12,370,320
  • Year 2: $12,989,040
  • Year 3: $13,607,760
  • Year 4: $17,213,816

Add it all up and Dylan Harper will make $56,180,936 during his rookie contract. That salary is guaranteed, even if the Spurs happen to release him or trade him away.

Throughout his entire 15-year career, Ron Harper Sr. made $34,935,000 . Adjusted for inflation, Harper Sr. does surpass his son by a little bit. But still. That’s a pretty staggering example of how much contracts have ballooned in the modern NBA.

Next time the family goes out for dinner, Dylan can pick up the check.

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Who Will Make The Most Money On The Lakers Next Year: Russell Westbrook Or LeBron James?

ByJoey Heldon August 2, 2021inArticles›Sports News

The NBA Draft last week had plenty of buzz around it. The Detroit Pistons took Cade Cunningham number one overall with hopes he can revitalize their franchise. The Orlando Magic snagged Jalen Suggs, who fell to fifth, which is actually a good thing for him . The San Antonio Spurs selected Josh Primo with the 12th pick, a move several analysts called a reach. It’s hard to argue with the Spurs’ track record, though, so we won’t cast judgment.

But all of that was overshadowed by a major trade. As Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski first reported just before the draft started, the Washington Wizards sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In return, the Wizards will receive Kyle Kuzma , Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22nd pick of the 2021 draft. That pick was used on Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson, though Jackson is on his way to Indiana in another trade.

The Wizards will also send the Lakers second-round picks in 2024 and 2028. The trade can’t be officially announced until August 6, when next year’s salary cap becomes official and teams can start making moves.

Dylan Harper Will Make More From His Rookie Contract Than His Father Did During His Entire 15 - 2

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

However, the Lakers already know they’re going to have to pay a ton of money. Thanks to the 2019 trade that brought Anthony Davis to the Lakers, the team now has three players earning at least $35 million next year.

Westbrook will lead the way with a $44.2 million salary in 2021-22. LeBron James is close behind, with a $41.2 million salary. Davis will make $35.3 million this upcoming season.

Westbrook only spent one season with the Wizards, but he made it a productive one. He averaged a triple-double with 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 11.7 assists. He’s currently got two seasons left on this deal and will hit free agency in the summer of 2023.

Together, James, Westbrook, and Davis have 34 All-Star appearances. After an injury-riddled season in 2020-21, the trio will look to get the team back to championship contention.

Since 2019, Westbrook has moved from Oklahoma City to Houston to Washington and now Los Angeles. But all that hopping around will be worth it if he can get his first title.

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