The San Antonio Spurs made a significant move on the first day of NBA free agency, agreeing to a two-year, $31 million deal with veteran forward Tobias Harris on July 1, 2026 . However, the acquisition of the 15-year veteran has drawn sharp criticism from some analysts who question his fit with the Western Conference champions.
The most pointed critique came from Yahoo Sports NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor, who offered a scathing assessment of the signing. “Tobias Harris adds nothing that the Spurs were missing,” O’Connor wrote on social media . He elaborated, characterizing Harris as “a low-volume, middling-efficiency shooter, and he’s a replacement-level defender” . O’Connor also questioned the Spurs’ overall strategy, suggesting the team could have pursued “far better targets with the mid-level” or utilized their draft assets in a trade.
Harris, who turns 34 later this month, leaves the Detroit Pistons after a two-year stint that saw the franchise orchestrate a remarkable turnaround . The 6-foot-8 forward played a key role in Detroit’s 60-win 2025-26 season and their first playoff series victory since 2008 . In the 2025-26 regular season, Harris averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds, shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range .
His performance elevated in the postseason, where he averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds over 14 playoff games . Despite his contributions, Harris’s departure was reportedly motivated by financial considerations, as the Pistons had previously agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with forward John Collins .
The Spurs, coming off an NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks, have prioritized retaining and adding veteran talent . Earlier in the week, they re-signed forwards Julian Champagnie to a three-year, $45 million contract and Harrison Barnes to a one-year, $8 million deal . Harris is expected to compete for minutes on the wing alongside players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and the recently re-signed Barnes . The signing is seen as a move to provide a veteran presence and offensive depth to support star center Victor Wembanyama, addressing a frontline that at times appeared undersized during the Finals .
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