The San Antonio Spurs finally made a move to address their wing depth, signing Tobias Harris to a multiyear deal Wednesday. It’s the kind of signing that looks good on paper — a veteran forward who can shoot, defend, and handle pressure. Exactly what the Spurs needed after getting beaten on the perimeter in the NBA Finals against the Knicks.
But not everyone is sold. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice his skepticism in a post that’s already making the rounds.
“Tobias Harris adds nothing that the Spurs were missing. Harris is a low volume, middling efficiency shooter, and he’s a replacement level defender. There were far better targets with the mid-level. San Antonio also could’ve cashed in picks with a trade instead. Don’t love it!”
That’s a pretty harsh take, especially for a guy who just started for a 60-win Pistons team that grabbed the No. 1 seed in the East. Harris isn’t flashy, but he’s steady. He shot 37% from three last season and can guard multiple positions. For a Spurs team that watched Knicks wings torch them in the Finals, that’s not nothing.
The O’Connor factor
O’Connor has a bit of a reputation in NBA circles for swinging big and missing on some calls. Fans online were quick to point out his track record of hot takes that didn’t exactly age well. Spurs fans in particular are hoping this one joins that list.
It’s not like Harris is a superstar. He’s not. But the Spurs didn’t need a superstar on the wing. They needed someone who could space the floor, make the right play, and not get cooked defensively. Harris checks those boxes, even if he doesn’t blow anyone away with elite stats.
There’s also the question of fit. Head coach Mitch Johnson hasn’t said exactly how he plans to use Harris, but the guess is he’ll slot into a starting role or at least get heavy minutes off the bench. Either way, he gives San Antonio something they didn’t have in the Finals: a reliable two-way option who won’t panic under pressure.
Could the Spurs have done more with that mid-level exception? Maybe. But they got a guy who’s been a starter on a top seed and knows how to play winning basketball. That’s not nothing.
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