Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs Face Major Injury Setback Ahead of NBA Season Opener vs. Thunder
· Yahoo Sports
Despite losing the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs are right back in the conversation of being one of the true contenders. Extending Victor Wembanyama’s contract was another sign of that vision. They even bolstered their wing position with Tobias Harris’s signing. But the former Pistons star is now facing uncertainty.
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After helping Detroit win 60 games last season, Harris now finds himself in a new fight for a starting role. The 34-year-old signed a two-year, $31 million deal with San Antonio in July and is expected to compete for the starting power forward spot. But that competition will have to wait.
“Tobias Harris suffered a left calf strain in training camp and is now questionable for the regular season opener on October 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, per Spurs,” The Athletic‘s Jared Weiss reported. “Harris will be reevaluated after the preseason.”
Harris put up 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 63 games during Detroit’s 60-win campaign. He shot 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from three while playing 27.7 minutes per night. His postseason numbers stand out even more.
Across 20 playoff appearances in 2025 and 2026, the 16-year veteran averaged 17.4 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. He would have competed with Julian Champagnie, who also signed a long-term deal this offseason. Harris had some strong moments against the Knicks last season.
In two February matchups, he averaged 15 points while shooting 45.5% from the field and 50% from three. His second outing was less efficient, as he went 4-for-16 from the floor. Still, he found other ways to make an impact, finishing with 10 rebounds and five assists. But injury plans now have led to uncertainty.
“It’s a calf strain. The seriousness is what it is,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said before San Antonio’s intra-squad scrimmage Sunday. “We won’t rush him at all. I guess the question will be is he ready for the season opener? Totally questionable, and we will not push that at all. So, we’ll take it slow. There is no concern of this level of seriousness, and at the same time, we will not rush him at all.”
The Spurs reached the NBA Finals last season before falling to the New York Knicks. Harris was supposed to give them another experienced forward who could handle physical playoff matchups without taking the ball out of Wembanyama’s hands.
Instead, San Antonio will enter the preseason without knowing exactly where Harris fits. The team’s annual Silver & Black Scrimmage was supposed to provide the first real glimpse. So was the preseason opener. Those opportunities are gone now.
Harris did not participate in Sunday’s scrimmage, and the Spurs confirmed that he will sit out the preseason. Julian Champagnie could benefit most in the short term. He averaged 11.1 points last season and set a franchise record with 195 made three-pointers before signing a three-year, $45 million extension this offseason.
The Spurs open their regular season on October 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It is not just another opening-night matchup. The game is a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals. That series began with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lifting the MVP trophy and ended with the Spurs having the last laugh.
Once again this season, OKC and the Spurs are the favorites to win the West. So this puts Victor Wembanyama and the team right back against the team standing between them and another Finals appearance. The Spurs still have plenty of firepower.
De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Wembanyama give Johnson plenty to work with. But Harris was supposed to be the missing link. The 34-year-old adds size, stability and a veteran presence capable of stepping into difficult playoff minutes. Now, San Antonio has to wait.
Harris’ injury may have put some plans on hold. But Mitch Johnson still has plenty of time to think about other matchups. As the Spurs are set to open their five-game preseason slate on Oct. 8, hosting the Atlanta Hawks in San Antonio.
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