Early Problems for the San Antonio Spurs

October 5, 2026

The San Antonio Spurs have received their first piece of bad news for the season even before the start of their preseason games. The Texas franchise, which had organized an open-to-the-public practice session for yesterday, announced shortly before it began that Tobias Harris would not be able to participate due to a left calf strain, an issue that jeopardizes his availability for the start of the season.

The forward suffered the injury during training camp, and the Spurs have already confirmed that it will cause him to miss all of the preseason games. Once they are finished, he will be re-evaluated to assess his status heading into the regular-season opener on October 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a clash for which he is currently listed as questionable.

We will therefore have to wait to see the debut of the big (and actually the only) signing for San Antonio, who this summer bet on Harris in their attempt to provide more weapons to a roster that came up just short of the championship. The veteran had already shown in Detroit his ability to create his own shots and provide scoring for an offense prone to stalling in the clutch, which in principle gives the Spurs exactly what they were missing most in June. If this comes true, it would make them even more formidable.

Tobias Harris averaged 13.3 points during the last regular season, but when the playoffs arrived he stepped up when the Pistons needed him most and raised his numbers to 18.1, delivering big performances such as his 30-point night in Game 7 against Orlando. Mitch Johnson’s Pistons will now have to wait to see firsthand how he fits into their system, but given that he arrives to contribute more in the postseason than in the regular season, there is no rush to prove it.

Callum Mercer

Callum Mercer

Basketball has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Based in Vancouver, I write about the players, teams and stories shaping the game across Canada, from the professional stage to the local courts where the next generation is emerging.