LAS VEGAS - Tarris Reed Jr. didn’t come to San Antonio expecting to light up scoreboards. The Spurs’ first-round pick has spent his early days in the organization leaning into the parts of the game that got him here in the first place: screening, rebounding and bringing a physical edge.
That showed up during the California Classic. After sitting out the second game of San Antonio’s back-to-back against Golden State as part of the organization’s minutes management plan, Reed came back Monday and put up 12 points and 12 rebounds on 6-for-10 shooting against the Lakers. Over his two appearances, he averaged 11 points and 9.5 rebounds while grabbing nine offensive boards.
For Reed, the assignment is pretty clear.
"What the team needs," Reed began, "and what's going to be required of me down the road is just physical screening, rebounding (and) defensive presence."
That mindset has been obvious from the start. Even in his debut against Miami, when a few close-range floaters wouldn’t drop, Reed kept creating extra chances by attacking the offensive glass and rolling hard in pick-and-roll action. He knows those habits matter now, and they’ll matter even more once he’s in the regular-season mix with Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and the rest of San Antonio’s veteran group.
"Whatever the coach, whatever the guys need me to do, I'm going to do," Reed said. "Just being selfless and relentless ... being gritty, physical. Things that I do pretty well."
Summer Spurs coach Corliss Williamson sees it the same way. He’s been talking with Reed about how his role will look next to Wembanyama, and the message has been straightforward.
"(I told him), 'You're not going to get a lot of shots. So, the way you impact…"
For Williamson, Reed’s value is tied less to shot volume and more to effort and force.
"Whether it's a hard two minutes or a hard five minutes," Williamson said, "Give us everything you have. I think he's going to bring some physicality that we need."
The California Classic didn’t exactly go San Antonio’s way - the Spurs finished 0-3 - but Williamson said the group has been learning how to balance individual growth with the team’s bigger principles.
"We've tried to allow them the freedom to explore their game," Williamson said, referring especially to Reed, "while also still understanding our core principles."
He added: "If you're going to play for us the way we play, we defend. We're physical. We push the ball in transition. ou have to be able to step in and do those things."
Maliq Brown has been working through a similar process on the defensive end. After going over film with the coaches, he’s focused on making quicker decisions and causing more disruption around the ball. That identity has already been part of his pitch for himself.
"Paying attention to the Spurs' culture and the way they play," Brown said during his introductory rookie press conference. "They're a gritty team. I can definitely fit in with that."
Brown has also leaned on veterans during minicamp, especially Carter Bryant, whose defensive intensity made an impression after his return from the Spurs' NBA Finals run. Bryant is expected to make his second Summer League debut in Las Vegas, and Brown said the way he pressures the ball full court has stood out.
"The way he picks up 94 feet is something that I want to add to my game," Brown said.
Williamson also used his press conference to talk about the Spurs’ newest addition. The coach knows Tobias Harris from his Detroit days.
"He played for my alma mater, Detroit," Williamson said. "We're excited to have him."
San Antonio announced Monday afternoon that it signed the 16-year veteran, adding wing depth alongside Bryant, Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell. Harris, who owns a career 3-point percentage of 37 percent, brings a versatile skill set that Williamson believes will fit cleanly with the roster.
"This guy is really versatile," Williamson said. "He'd run the floor, be able to shoot, could drive, post every now and then. Just to watch him mature from the time he first came into the league until now, where he's a savvy vet, it's been a joy to watch."
Williamson also pointed to the playoff experience Harris carries with him as another reason the move matters.
"The experience he's had in the playoffs," Williamson explained, "there's definitely some things that he can bring to the table to help our guys continue to mature."
Harris won’t be on the floor until later in the offseason, but the relationship-building can start now. Summer League gives the Spurs that chance, and Reed’s early play suggests he’s already beginning to carve out the kind of role San Antonio has in mind.
The Summer Spurs open their NBA Summer League 2026 schedule against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at Thomas & Mack Center. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Central on ESPN2.
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In one of those games, Reed flashed exactly why the Spurs were willing to move up for him, giving them activity on the glass and a physical edge in the paint. His size and strength stand out immediately, and if that carries over, he could become the sort of frontcourt weapon that changes how defenses have to deal with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes this one worth watching is the idea that there may be some room for flexibility if Wembanyama chooses a path that echoes a recent star example from New York. For the Spurs, that kind of breathing room would not just be about easing the cap sheet in the abstract, but about keeping the door open to a far more ambitious pursuit down the line, one that would have every fan in the building paying attention to the next move. [Read more 🡒]