Two of the biggest rivals for the OKC Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, have made quiet but significant free-agent additions.
The signings of Marvin Bagley III by Denver and Tobias Harris by the Spurs help address many of the shortcomings they came across in the playoffs this past year.
Though these two acquisitions don't seem game-breaking on the surface, they solve dire issues that, unfortunately, could end up hurting OKC's championship hopes as a result.
Tobias Harris brings Spurs forward depth in Thunder playoff matchup
By now, it should be a given that some combination of a playoff matchup between the Thunder, Spurs, and Nuggets will take place annually, and two of those teams have accounted for that.
Starting with Tobias Harris to the Spurs, it's an easily impactful move for San Antonio. Harris brings key experience, size, and scoring versatility.
Even though some of his importance isn't taken seriously because of playoff shortcomings, especially in 2026, there's no question he's a very viable role player.
Throughout his playoff career, Harris has averaged over 36 minutes per game, 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and has shot a decent 46.3 percent from the field. At nearly 34 years old, it's fair to expect him not to be what he once was as an offensive player, but after the Spurs' forwards' playoff run, he'll be more than able to stay in the rotation and can play heavy minutes when needed.
Aside from Devin Vassell, each of San Antonio's wings/forwards were extremely unreliable in the playoffs. During the regular season, they were considered okay at best, with Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson leading the way. But against the Thunder, they were a liability.
In the OKC series, each of Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, and Carter Bryant struggled in their own ways. For most of them, it was shooting -- Johnson shot just over 40 percent from the field, Barnes at 33.3 percent with rare playing time, and Champagnie shooting 33.3 percent or less from three in five of the seven games.
For Bryant, his inexperience was evident, and his lack of discipline made it difficult for him to stay on the floor.
Aside from Champagnie, these struggles led to very minimal playing time. Johnson was just under 18 minutes, with Bryant and Barnes below 10 a night. Though they still beat the injured Thunder, these flaws finally caught up with them in the Finals.
The combination of Harris' playoff strengths and the Spurs' weaknesses blends excellently and gives San Antonio enough ammunition to eliminate the Thunder once again.
Marvin Bagley III finally gives Nikola Jokić his backup big man
In a much simpler way than the Spurs, the Nuggets add their missing backup center with Marvin Bagley III.
Because he was picked second overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and, simply put, never lived up to such a lofty selection, many view Bagley as a bad player, but he's actually coming off his best season as a pro.
He shot 61.8 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three, by far career highs. Over time, Bagley has played his own game more comfortably, taking out many of his inefficient shots, specifically the long mid-range jumpers.
Another reason for his improvement is the fact that he finally managed to stay healthy. Bagley played his first 60-game season since his rookie year, allowing himself more reps and opportunities.
With a full season in Denver, there's a legitimate chance he finds himself even more comfortable, shooting threes at a higher volume, and benefiting from playing off of Jamal Murray and Jokic's gravity.
The decision to sign Bagley reflects a different philosophy than in years past for the Nuggets. Before, they went after established bigs whose best days were behind them, such as Jonas Valanciunas and DeAndre Jordan. The swing for the former No. 2 pick is unique for Denver, as they could be getting his best basketball at a premium deal.
For years, the Thunder have relied heavily on the non-Joker minutes to make their runs and comfortably control the lead in head-to-head matchups. But now, Bagley gives the Nuggets a steady presence at the rim offensively and from behind the arc, potentially turning the tide in a playoff rematch.
The Thunder may have been an indirect beneficiary of many of the recent blockbuster deals, but the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs have found small ways to match up evenly in the playoffs.
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