Spurs already have major Tobias Harris decision before he even played a game

The start of the 2026-27 season is still months away, and the San Antonio Spurs already have a big positional battle on their hands. The Spurs signed Tobias Harris this summer to bolster their power forward rotation and to potentially start.

The decision whether to start Harris or Julian Champagnie is a tricky one. On one hand, Harris is more of a power forward than Champagnie. On the other hand, San Antonio played their best basketball last season with Champagnie in the starting five.

He is also a better shooter and better defender, though Harris is a more well-rounded offensive player. It's definitely a tough call and one that coach Mitch Johnson will likely need to see play out in training camp before making a decision.

Will Tobias Harris start for the Spurs next season?

It's hard to say what that decision will be, but it probably won't be made until near the end of the preseason. Coach Johnson will probably use the team's preseason games to experiment with starting Harris and see whether he'd be a better fit in the starting five.

However, if Johnson values continuity, then he may give Champagnie the nod. After all, he started 65 games last season, including every playoff game, and San Antonio was at its best with him starting at power forward.

Starting him to begin next season could help San Antonio to get off to a strong start and perhaps even best their 62-win mark from last year.

Tobias Harris could be the Rudy Gay 2.0 for the Spurs

Harris' game is reminiscent of former Spur Rudy Gay, and he could potentially play a similar role in San Antonio. Gay wasn't a full-time starter with the Spurs but played a large role as a reliable scoring option.

I suspect that Harris may be asked to do the same. I expect him to come off the bench next season but still average 23-25 minutes per game. He'll provide the Silver and Black with some scoring punch, with Harris being a prolific 3-point shooter.

Actually, he is one of only a few active players to have hit more than 1000 threes. He also ranked as one of the NBA's best mid-range threats last season and can score in the post. That sounds awfully similar to Gay, and his scoring talent may be best used in the second unit.

Ultimately, it may not end up mattering who actually starts and who comes off the bench. Both players will likely play similar minutes, with Champagnie and Harris combining to solve the Spurs' longstanding problem at power forward.

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