Matt Johnson
The San Antonio Spurs lost in five games to the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals, blowing a double-digit lead in every game of the series. While one of the youngest NBA teams showed plenty of promise throughout its run in the NBA Playoffs, it is clear a few significant decisions need to be made this summer.
Let’s dive into our list of potential Spurs offseason moves that could help put San Antonio over the top to win a championship next season.
Spurs Fire Mitch Johnson
Mitch Johnson is one of the youngest coaches in the NBA at just 39 years old, and this is only the second season into his first head-coaching stint. The team improving from 34 wins in 2024-25 to 62 wins and a trip to the NBA Finals this year is obviously a historic improvement. However, that series vs San Antonio showed the Grand Canyon-sized gulf in coaching between Johnson and Mike Brown. New York’s head coach had answers for everything San Antonio did, he made adjustments when the Knicks trailed by double digits, and both his tactics and experience proved crucial to the comebacks. Johnson showed none of that in the NBA Finals. Championship windows can close in an instant, and the Spurs cannot really afford to waste time with an inexperienced coach who will need several years to learn the ropes. San Antonio needs to make a change.
San Antonio Must Pull Off a De’Aaron Fox Trade
We certainly will not fault the Spurs front office for acquiring All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox in the first place. The trade came at a modest price—Zach LaVine and two first-round picks—which was a reasonable deal given his age. Unfortunately, San Antonio’s mistake was signing Fox to the four-year, $229 million max contract extension that his play did not really earn. Now, coming off a disastrous performance in the NBA Finals, the Spurs need to find a way to dump his contract.
- San Antonio Spurs trade: De’Aaron Fox, 2031 swap rights (Sacramento)
- Brooklyn Nets trade: Michael Porter Jr.
Perhaps a deal could be made with the Brooklyn Nets. Last offseason, the club took on the Michael Porter Jr. contract in exchange for draft capital. This summer, Brooklyn could pursue something similar by flipping Porter Jr. to San Antonio for Fox and the rights to swap first-round picks with the Sacramento Kings in the 2031 NBA Draft. Porter’s expiring deal would give San Antonio long-term financial flexibility, and the 6-foot-10 forward would provide length, perimeter scoring (3.4 three-pointers made per game), and athleticism in the frontcourt alongside Victor Wembanyama.
Related: NBA Trades We’d Like to See This Summer
Sign Tobias Harris
With Harrison Barnes on an expiring contract, we see an opportunity for San Antonio to upgrade this offseason. Tobias Harris really stood out this past season for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He also stood out in the playoffs—18.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG, and 1.4 3PM per game—and has significant postseason experience. The Spurs need better depth at the four, and a veteran presence, which the 34-year-old Harris brings to the table, would be another benefit to signing him. If he is willing to take a two-year contract in the ballpark of $18 million per season, Harris would be perfect for San Antonio.
Build The Offense Around Dylan Harper
As devastating as losing the NBA Finals is for San Antonio, the organization and fan base should feel ecstatic about what Dylan Harper showed in his rookie season. The 20-year-old guard primarily came off the bench this year, with 4 starts in 69 games, but he was easily one of the best players in the NBA Finals (18.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.0 APG on 49.3% shooting). Trading Fox immediately opens up a spot in the Spurs lineup for him next season. What is equally important is that this offense needs to run through him moving forward. Let Wembanyama be the second option, allowing him to conserve his energy more both for his outstanding defense but also so he has more gas left in the tank for the fourth quarter. Next season, Harper should be a 20-plus PPG scorer, and that starts with the organization using this offseason to build a system that runs the offense through him.
