The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the most active teams in the NBA this offseason, and the acquisition of veteran power forward Tobias Harris is being hailed as a major coup. On paper, it’s a brilliant move—adding a player with over a thousand games of NBA experience and nearly 1,400 career three-pointers to a roster already featuring the generational talent of Victor Wembanyama. However, as the dust settles, a glaring problem has emerged in the Spurs’ locker room: Mitch Johnson is now facing a massive, season-defining lineup decision.
The Case for Experience vs. The Power of Chemistry
At the center of this debate is the starting power forward spot. On one side, you have the new recruit, Tobias Harris. Harris is a proven commodity, a “modern” power forward who has thrived in high-stakes environments, including a recent 57-win season with the Detroit Pistons that saw them push deep into the Eastern Conference semifinals. Harris brings versatility; he can post up smaller wings, drive past slower bigs, and punish defenses from the mid-range. He is a high-IQ, reliable veteran who is built to contribute immediately.
But on the other side, you have the “glue guy” who transformed the Spurs’ season: Julian Champagnie. After being inserted into the starting lineup during the second half of the 2025-26 campaign, Champagnie was the spark that ignited a massive turnaround. His combination of size, floor-spacing, and defensive awareness provided the perfect balance for a team that was finally learning how to win.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Why the Starting Five is Already Elite
If you look at the advanced metrics, the argument for sticking with Champagnie is almost impossible to ignore. During the regular season, the starting unit of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Victor Wembanyama posted an incredible +17.6 net rating. If you thought that was just a regular-season flash in the pan, think again—that same lineup turned up the intensity in the playoffs, boasting an even more staggering +22.4 net rating.
When a starting five is producing numbers that rank among the best in the entire NBA, the golden rule of coaching is simple: don’t break what is already working. Tinkering with that chemistry, even for a player as talented as Harris, could be a fool’s errand. The synergy between those five players—the way they space the floor for Wembanyama and allow Castle and Fox to attack—is the primary reason the Spurs are now viewed as legitimate title contenders.
The “Sixth Man” Solution
So, where does that leave Tobias Harris? The answer is simple: he needs to embrace the “sixth man” role. By bringing a player of Harris’s caliber off the bench, Mitch Johnson can ensure that the Spurs’ offensive production doesn’t fall off a cliff when the starters hit the sidelines. It is a classic “championship-level” move. Rather than disrupting a historically efficient starting five, the Spurs can weaponize Harris’s scoring to dominate second units, providing the team with a reliable late-game closer and a versatile defender who can match up against elite bigs like Karl-Anthony Towns.
This season is about more than just making the playoffs; it’s about securing home-court advantage. If the Spurs want to take that next step toward the Finals, they need to prioritize the continuity of their elite starting unit while maximizing the bench depth that Harris provides. Mitch Johnson has a difficult call to make, but keeping the “glue guy” in the starting five while letting the veteran provide a scoring punch off the bench is the safest, smartest path to success.
Spurs fans, the debate is heating up: Are you starting the veteran Tobias Harris, or do you keep the faith with the lineup that took us to the playoffs? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!
