Tobias Harris Draws Bold Prediction; Tough Spurs Decisions Coming?

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley named Tobias Harris the best new addition on the San Antonio Spurs roster this offseason, then predicted he would finish top-five on the team in clutch minutes.

Locking Harris into the closing lineup would force two of Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Dylan Harper out of it. He listed shooting, off-the-dribble creation, and experience as the reasons San Antonio pursued Harris.

The Spurs signed Harris to a two-year, $31 million contract in July. He turned 34 in July, is entering his 16th NBA season, and has averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He has played 1,033 regular-season games with five franchises.

Detroit signed Harris to a two-year, $52 million deal in the 2024 offseason after his six years in Philadelphia. He started all 156 regular-season and postseason games he played for the Pistons. Through 63 games last season, Harris averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 27.7 minutes, shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range. He ranked third on the team in scoring.

A right ankle sprain cost Harris nine games last season. A hip injury cost him five more.

Harris's postseason stats improved to 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over 14 playoff games after helping Detroit achieve a 60-win season. The Pistons won a playoff series for the first time since 2008.

San Antonio are coming off a 62-20 season, second in the Western Conference, improving by 28 wins from the previous season. The Spurs ranked third in regular-season offense, defense, and net rating. They defeated Portland 4-1, Minnesota 4-2, and Oklahoma City 4-3, before losing the NBA Finals to New York in five games. The Knicks clinched the series with a 94-90 victory at Frost Bank Center on June 13.

Harris will have the luxury of playing next to Victor Wembanyama, who earned the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year honor since its inception in 1982-83. He averaged 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds across 64 games, topping the league with 197 blocks. Additionally, Wembanyama was named Western Conference Finals MVP after scoring 22 points in Game 7 versus Oklahoma City.

Harris a combination of wing size and crafty shot-making inside the 3-point line. The Spurs could leverage that skill set to exploit mismatches quite effectively. Harris could also be another option to run actions with Wembanyama, hitting him on the move with momentum going to the paint.

Wembanyama signed a five-year, $252 million rookie-scale extension in July, including a player option in the fifth year. He opted for the 25% maximum contract instead of the 30% tier, which would have been nearly $303 million.

The starting group of Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Vassell, and Champagnie went 21-3 in the regular season and returns for 2026-27. Champagnie re-signed on a multi-year contract during free agency. Those four perimeter starters shot a combined 33.0% from three-point range in the postseason.

Harris was one of the eight to 10 players who went to Paris in August to train with Wembanyama, alongside Fox, Castle, Harper, Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes, and Jordan McLaughlin. Former Spurs player and current NBA free agent Kelly Olynyk also attended while unsigned.

The Spurs begin their season on Oct. 20 at home versus Oklahoma City, a rematch of the Western Conference Finals.