Along with bringing back a majority of the core from last season, the San Antonio Spurs added veteran forward Tobias Harris to the roster. However, according to the latest injury update, the Spurs won’t be seeing Harris on the court just yet, as he was ruled out for the team’s season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, October 20.
Harris has been dealing with a left calf strain injury through the preseason, and according to head coach Mitch Johnson, the 34-year-old wing will continue to be sidelined for the time being.
After leaving the Detroit Pistons in free agency, Harris signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Spurs this offseason, set for a big veteran leadership role playing alongside the team’s young stars.
Spurs Get Bad Injury News Before Season Opener Thunder Game
As reported by Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Johnson said Harris would be out for the season opener that will see the Spurs host the Thunder in San Antonio.
“Spurs coach Mitch Johnson says Tobias Harris will not be ready for opening night against the Thunder tomorrow.”
“He’s ramping up. He’s progressing. He still needs some more progressing on the court,” Wiess wrote in a post on X, quoting Johnson.
“He’s ramping up. He’s progressing. He still needs some more progressing on the court.”
Harris went down with the injury weeks ago, and though updates were sparse, there was always a risk he would be out to start the season for the Spurs.
“It’s a calf strain. The seriousness is what it is,” Johnson said in early October, per Weiss. “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.”
Previously, Harris was questionable for the Spurs-Thunder game, but he’s now been ruled out and still lacks an official return timeline.
Tobias Harris Adds To San Antonio’s Forward Depth
After putting together a strong season with the Pistons, averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 46.9/36.8/86.6 shooting splits, Harris signed with the Spurs this summer.
He’s now one of the oldest players on the team, but joins Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Harrison Barnes as just one of a few solid forwards for San Antonio this season.
The Spurs got great value out of the other four last year, as each was key in adding shooting and defense that helped them reach the 2026 NBA Finals.
San Antonio also has some strong guards in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, along with superstar center Victor Wembanyama.
Still, adding Harris as a veteran who can still contribute at a high level while also keeping the rest of the core together is a good sign for the team this season. They’ll be without the big-name free agent signing for at least the start of the season, according to the latest injury update, but the Spurs still have high expectations for this season.
Spurs Announce Bad Injury News On Key Player For Season Opener Vs Thunder