The San Antonio Spurs acquired center Tarris Reed Jr. during the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23 after the Denver Nuggets selected him with the No. 26 overall pick. To complete the trade, Denver received the No. 35 pick in this year’s draft, a 2028 second-round pick via Minnesota, and a 2031 second-round pick via Sacramento.
Key Details
- Physical Profile: Reed is a 6-foot-10, 264-pound center who provides immediate low-post power and rebounding.
- Senior Year Production: He averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 60.7% from the field in his final college season.
- Draft Board Drop: The Los Angeles Lakers bypassed Reed with the No. 25 pick, leaving him available for the Nuggets at No. 26 before the Spurs initiated the trade.
Reed arrives in San Antonio after anchoring UConn’s deep run to the 2026 NCAA National Championship game. The Huskies ultimately lost the title match 69-63 to the Michigan Wolverines, the program where Reed spent his first two college seasons before transferring.
San Antonio aggressively targeted Reed to secure an immediate, physical presence in the paint. The front office selected center Jayden Quaintance earlier in the first round but pushed to add Reed specifically for his rebounding and screen-setting abilities to pair alongside their core rotation.
He is expected to immediately compete for backup center minutes. Local coverage indicates the Spurs brought Reed in to potentially replace veteran big man Luke Kornet, who struggled defensively during the team’s recent playoff run. Scouting reports highlighted Reed’s defensive utility, though they noted he currently lacks a modern three-point shot and explosive vertical athleticism.