Tobias Harris will give the Spurs offense an edge none of their forwards can match

The San Antonio Spurs are still awaiting the debut of forward Tobias Harris, and he could give them something they've been desperately lacking. Harris was brought in to give San Antonio depth at power forward. Despite that, a starting lineup change complicates his role before he even plays a single minute for the team.

However, once he actually plays, the Spurs should adjust their rotation to accommodate Harris. In fact, they should be excited to do so, with Harris giving San Antonio something they haven't had at power forward.

He is a versatile scorer who can reliably knock down threes, score in the mid-range, and attack mismatches in the post. He is also an underrated passer and could give San Antonio yet another player who can throw lobs to superstar Victor Wembanyama.

The Spurs have players who can do at least one of those things, but none who are 6'8" and can check all of those boxes.

Tobias Harris will give the Spurs' offense what none of their forwards can

Between Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, Carter Bryant, and Keldon Johnson, none of them can give San Antonio what Harris can offensively. With Johnson and Luke Kornet struggling, the Spurs could use more scoring punch off the bench, and Harris will hopefully help.

The Spurs have been losing the non-Wembanyama minutes by a lot, and turning that around requires more offense. The second unit's lack of shooting has forced Coach Mitch Johnson to dust off Barnes.

Far be it for me to criticize Barnes; he's played surprisingly well, which highlights this team's newfound depth at forward, but Harris is still a better option. Prior to joining the Spurs, Harris was a starter on a 60-win Detroit Pistons team.

He was even their second-leading scorer in the playoffs, averaging 18.1 points in their 12 postseason games. That proves he has a lot more left in the tank, and adding him to the Spurs bench is almost an embarrassment of riches.

Tobias Harris gives the Spurs more plenty of options at power forward

Just having several good options at power forward is new to the Spurs, who have struggled for years with a lack of depth at the four. Ironically, Devin Vassell starting as the de facto four has created something of a logjam with Champagnie, Harris, Johnson, Barnes, and Bryant all coming off the bench.

On the flip side, San Antonio isn't at risk of struggling to find competent minutes at that position. Still, it's not just about filling those minutes; it's about figuring out who is best suited to fill that role.

Given how well the starting lineup has performed thus far, it seems somewhat unlikely that Coach Johnson will make a change. That means that whoever emerges as the backup power forward will have to earn those minutes, and Harris seems perfectly suited to do so.

Barnes is the closest comparison to Harris, and while Mr. 100% is a better pure 3-point shooter, he doesn't check as many boxes offensively. Even in a potentially smaller role than initially expected, Harris could have a positive impact.

Tobias Harris could unlock the Spurs' already potent offense

Having him as a knockdown shooter who can also put the ball on the floor, score in the mid-range, and exploit his size in the post is an intriguing skill set for this team. Better still, he has historically been a low-turnover player, with his experience hopefully helping San Antonio maximize their number of offensive positions.

Adding him to the rotation could result in more positives for the Silver and Black. Champagnie has been the Spurs' best shooter this season, so he isn't falling out of the rotation.

Instead, he may slide down and play more as a small forward. In turn, Johnson may get squeezed, resulting in fewer minutes. He's struggled this season, contributing to the Spurs' second-unit problems.

A lineup consisting of Champagnie, Harris, and Kornet playing with two of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper could solve the Spurs' non-Wembanyama minutes problem. Harris could be key to that, with him giving them more offensive firepower than any other forward on the team alone.

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