San Antonio Spurs forward Tobias Harris (23) walks into the gymnasium for an interview during the NBA team’s media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
Two months ago, Tobias Harris approached his 34th birthday with his NBA career at a crossroads.
After 15 seasons, six stops and five teams, the veteran forward had a clear next destination in mind — somewhere he could fulfill the most significant achievement missing from his basketball resume.
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“I have one goal that I would love to accomplish through the rest of my career,” Harris said this week. “That’s to win a championship.”
San Antonio, Harris decided, was the right place to chase it.
Having inked a two-year, $31-million deal to become the Spurs’ only free-agent acquisition of the offseason, Harris went through the paces of his first training camp practice with his new club Tuesday.
The Spurs like what they have seen so far.
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“His presence has been felt already,” forward Keldon Johnson said. “You could tell he has a really, really sharp basketball mind. He really knows the game of basketball at a high level.”
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The San Antonio Spurs held their NBA Media Day for the 2026-27 season, from the Rock at La Cantera. Last season, the Spurs just fell short after their finals run against the New York Knicks.
Andrew J. Whitaker, San Antonio Express-News
After watching their eye-opening run to last year’s NBA Finals fall short against the New York Knicks, the Spurs are hopeful Harris might be the piece that gets them over the hump.
In theory, Harris should fill an obvious hole in their roster.
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The teams that most often gave the Spurs problems last season generally had a Harris-shaped player at the power forward position — think O.G. Anunoby of the aforementioned Knicks.
At 6-foot-8, Harris has the capacity to fill either forward spot, attack mismatches, post smaller defenders, defend multiple positions and rebound.
A career 15.6 points-per-game scorer, Harris averaged 13.3 last season as the third option on a Detroit squad that won 60 games.
“He’s been in this league for a long time,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “He’s averaged 20 points on teams. He’s been in different types of roles. So I think being able to add somebody like him is big for us.”
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San Antonio Spurs forward Tobias Harris (23) answers questions from reporters during the NBA basketball team’s media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Spurs forward Tobias Harris (23) poses for official portraits during the NBA basketball team’s media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
Throughout his journeyman career, Harris — who turned 34 in July — has become adept at packing a moving van.
The 19th overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Tennessee, Harris was selected by Charlotte but traded to Milwaukee in a three-team draft-day deal consummated so long ago it included the likes of Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih and a young Bismack Biyombo.
After two seasons with the Bucks, Harris moved on to Orlando, then Detroit, then the Los Angeles Clippers, then Philadelphia, then back to Detroit.
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His best season came in 2018-19, when he averaged 20 points and 7.9 rebounds in 82 games split between the Clippers and 76ers.
Helping grease Harris’ path to San Antonio was a relationship more than a decade in the making. Spurs general manager Brian Wright was part of Orlando’s front office when Harris was with the Magic.
“His reputation precedes him as a human being and as a player,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “To be able to add something like that with his experience, his resume, who wanted to be here … how could you not be excited?”
Harris views the decade and a half he has spent bouncing around the league as a selling point.
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“I look at when I came into the NBA, how the game has changed (since),” Harris said. “Something that I’ve been able to just study throughout my career is being a versatile player on both ends of the floor, adapting to the way the game is played offensively now. It’s the reason why I’m still in the NBA.”
Johnson has yet to commit to any lineup decisions so early in camp, but it is a safe bet Harris finds his way into the Spurs’ starting group, at least to open the season.
Dating to the 2017-18 campaign, Harris has started in each of his past 586 appearances. The last time he came off the bench during his first tour of duty with Detroit in 2016-17.
Here are some of the biggest moments, memorable quotes and lighter highlights from Spurs Media Day.
David Perez, San Antonio Express-News
“Whatever opportunity is presented, I’m going to make the best of it,” Harris said. “I think there’s this unwritten rule in the league of expectation, and I don’t really play by that rule. You’ve got to come in and work your butt off, earn every single minute.”
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Harris’ arrival speaks volumes about the Spurs’ newfound place in the NBA pecking order.
His desire for a title led him away from a Pistons squad that finished with the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season to a San Antonio squad with an even brighter future.
In essence, Harris had 7 feet and 4 inches of reasons to join the Spurs. He isn’t the first ring-pursuing 30-something veteran pining to play with Victor Wembanyama, and he won’t be the last.
The Spurs’ All-Star center is champing at the bit to get to work with his new frontcourt mate.
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“He’s a guy that knows how to do the hard things,” Wembanyama said. “He knows how to take on a role and do it very well. I have no doubt he’ll fit in.”
The way Harris sees it, the fit is mutual.
“I look at the talent of the group, the trajectory of the team and just the willingness of wanting and striving to win a championship, and all those things align with me personally,” he said. “We fit in terms of what I bring to the table, but also in terms of what the team is striving for and where they want to get in the years to come.
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“In my opinion,” Harris added, “it’s a perfect match.”