The Oklahoma City Thunder have already seen one offseason move from San Antonio that could matter down the line, and it’s not the kind of addition that jumps off the page at first glance.
After the Thunder’s seven-game loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, Oklahoma City has had to trim back its roster this summer. Financial pressure pushed the Thunder to move on from Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, which leaves the team thinner in reliable depth heading into next season.
That’s part of why San Antonio’s latest move deserves a closer look. The Spurs are expected to keep growing after a Finals run, and their youth alone makes them a tougher puzzle. But the piece that could matter most if these teams cross paths again in 2027 is Tobias Harris.
Harris has been through plenty of postseason battles already. He has made the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons and has been a major part of playoff runs in both Philadelphia and Detroit. Last season, he started for the top-seeded Pistons and posted 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds over 14 playoff games.
For San Antonio, that kind of production from a big forward could be a real boost. The Spurs have mostly leaned on the catch-and-shoot game of Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell at that spot, and Harris gives them a different kind of option. He also lines up with a potential issue for Oklahoma City, which does not have many true forwards beyond Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams.
At the same time, Harris may not end up carrying the same kind of load he had in Detroit. With the Spurs’ backcourt already producing and Victor Wembanyama in the mix, Harris could wind up in more of a catch-and-shoot role anyway.
There’s also the simple reality that veteran additions don’t always land the way teams hope. A 34-year-old forward joining a young contender is never a lock, and the Thunder have already seen how that can go with Sam Presti’s trade for Gordon Hayward in 2024.
So yes, Harris could be a swing piece if Oklahoma City and San Antonio meet again. But the Thunder have enough top-end talent to beat anybody when healthy, even the team that knocked them out last season.
In Other News...
Chet Holmgren Just Gave Thunder Fans A Needed Reason To Believe
Chet Holmgrens summer has offered the kind of low-stakes but still revealing glimpse Thunder fans tend to latch onto this time of year. The big man has been taking part in NBPA-sanctioned PLYRS UNTD runs, working against and alongside other NBA players in a setting built more for skill work than headlines, and the early takeaway is that his offensive bag is still very much part of the conversation. For Oklahoma City, that matters because Holmgren already established himself as a breakout piece, but the next step is finding more consistent scoring to go with everything else he brings.
There is a reason the optimism around Holmgren comes with a little edge to it. His talent has never been the question, but the playoffs have a way of sharpening the scrutiny, and his performance in the Western Conference Finals left plenty of room for debate about how much more he can deliver when the stage gets bigger. If these summer runs are any indication, the Thunder are hoping he can answer some of that skepticism by turning offseason flashes into something far more reliable once the games count again. [Read more 🡒]
Westbrooks Farewell Just Hit Thunder Fans Right In The Heart
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The outpouring was immediate, including a social-media farewell from DeMar DeRozan, who shared the Kings locker room with Westbrook last season before moving on to Denver on a one-year deal. DeRozan is expected to fill a Sixth Man role with the Nuggets, but for the moment the attention is on Westbrooks exit and the kind of respect he continues to command from peers across the NBA. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Have A Young Rotation Battle Fans Should Watch
The Thunder are headed into a familiar kind of summer competition, only this time the opening is coming from the other end of the roster. With key rotation minutes suddenly available after the offseason departures of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins, Oklahoma City is expected to lean more heavily on rookies and other inexperienced players as it sorts out who can handle a larger role.
That puts names like Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara, and Bennett Stirtz squarely in the mix, and the intrigue is less about who makes the team than who can actually force his way into the nightly plans. Stirtz is the one to watch as a possible surprise, especially with the Thunder looking for more perimeter scoring and his college shooting profile suggesting there may be a path for him to matter sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]