Tobias Harris didn’t need a long sales pitch when San Antonio came calling.
Sixteen seasons into his NBA career, the 34-year-old forward was already clear about what he wanted in free agency: a real chance to win. That made the Spurs’ pitch an easy one to hear, and Harris wound up signing a two-year, $31 million deal in July to join a roster coming off an NBA Finals appearance.
“The urgency to win a championship,” Harris said of his decision in an interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto in July, “it felt like both our goals aligned.”
Now Harris is set to become the sixth NBA team of his career, and he slides into a group built around Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and a young supporting cast trying to take another step forward. On paper, he brings exactly what San Antonio could use: dependable shooting, a veteran presence and a forward who can fit without needing the ball in his hands all the time.
Last season in Detroit, Harris averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 63 games while shooting 47 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. That perimeter touch matters in San Antonio. The Spurs finished 15th in the league in 3-point efficiency at 35.9 percent, so there’s obvious room to sharpen the spacing around Wembanyama, Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
Harris also gives the Spurs a player who can punish mismatches and keep the floor balanced. During Detroit’s postseason run, he was part of the Pistons’ most efficient two-man lineup, even though his 3-point percentage dipped to 29.2 percent.
The fit is obvious. The tougher part may be figuring out where everyone plays.
Harris averaged 27.7 minutes per game last season, almost the same as Julian Champagnie’s 27.6 and just above Harrison Barnes’ 25.8. With all three forwards back, San Antonio is going to have to sort out the rotation somewhere, and Barnes, who is also 34, could be the one most affected by the numbers game. Champagnie’s shooting should keep him in the mix as well.
That leaves Mitch Johnson with one of the more interesting training camp decisions: how to divide the minutes, and who gets the starting nod.
Harris has already taken an early step toward making that easier. This summer, he joined Wembanyama, Fox and Barnes for workouts at Fox’s private gym near Houston, giving the newcomer a chance to get familiar with key pieces before camp even opens.
“I’m the new guy here,” Harris said. “I just want to come in and get to know them.
Put some time in. I always believe iron sharpens iron, so being able to be here ...
I’m going to enjoy it.”
There’s also a built-in connection with Barnes. The two have been going at each other since they were teenagers, long before either became a highly regarded member of the 2010 high school recruiting class, and now they’ll finally share a locker room.
“I've had a chance to compete against him since I was 14 years old,” Barnes said of Harris. “I think it's pretty cool, at this point in our careers, to play on a contending team - a team that's got a lot of potential. We're trying to do something special.”
That’s the job Harris signed up for in the first place. His shooting, his experience and his ability to complement San Antonio’s top scorers give the Spurs another useful piece as they try to make sure last season’s Finals run was only the beginning.
For now, the numbers and the lineup questions belong to Johnson. Harris has already started doing the part he can control: showing up, getting acquainted and making his case before training camp even starts.
“I know the type of personalities on this team already,” Harris said. “Just to be able to be here, work with these guys, learn from each other, that's how we become a really great team.”
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Spurs Rookie Fit Next To Wemby Suddenly Carries One Big Concern
Jayden Quaintance arrived with the kind of tools that can make Spurs fans dream about a long-term frontcourt pairing next to Victor Wembanyama. He is widely viewed as a promising defender with real athletic upside, and his profile makes sense for a team that always wants length, activity and switchability around its star. Even with the setbacks that have already followed him, the idea of what he could become in San Antonio is still easy to see.
The concern now is less about the fit and more about the timeline. Quaintance is expected to miss extended time this season because of knee injuries, which clouds when he can actually start building that case on the floor. And while the defensive potential is there, his offensive game remains a work in progress, so his eventual impact will depend not just on getting healthy, but on how much development he can show once he finally gets a run of consistent basketball. [Read more 🡒]
De'Aaron Fox Faces One Spurs Question That Could Change Everything
De'Aaron Fox arrives in San Antonio with the kind of reputation that can still shape a team's plans long after the headline move is over. The Spurs see him as part of their guard rotation and, for now, there is no expectation that they would move him during the season, especially with his contract situation and the reality that teams around the league are not exactly lining up to chase him right now.
The more interesting question is what happens if Fox looks more like himself again. A stronger stretch could change the way he is viewed, both inside the building and on the trade market, giving the Spurs a different kind of flexibility down the road. For now, the path is simple enough: keep him in place, let him settle in, and see whether his play starts creating options that do not exist today. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Face A Tough Dylan Harper Decision They Can't Avoid
The Spurs already have one of the leagues trickier backcourt puzzles on their hands, and it revolves around whether DeAaron Fox or Dylan Harper should be the long-term answer at point guard. Harpers rookie season gave San Antonio a look at his talent, but it also showed how carefully the staff managed his minutes while the team leaned on a strong four-man foundation around Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the core.
Looking ahead to 2026-27, the challenge is no longer just about getting Harper on the floor, but about finding the right minutes and combinations that let him grow without disrupting what has already worked. More time with the starters is the obvious next step in his development, and it may also be the clearest sign of where the Spurs see him fitting once this backcourt decision gets serious. [Read more 🡒]