Having earned over 300 million in his career, this time he chose not to chase the money.

After the finals, everyone knew the Spurs needed to bolster their power forward spot. The backcourt and center positions were solid, but the forward position was a glaring weakness exposed by the Knicks. While trade talks between the Spurs and Hachimura grew louder, San Antonio quietly secured Tobias Harris.

Harris's deal is 2 years, $31 million, fully guaranteed with no options—clearly a "thief-like" acquisition. Harris certainly received larger and longer contract offers, but he chose the Spurs, who are closer to a championship. In his words: "Winning a championship is urgent for me. The Spurs and I are both desperate to win it all."

Last season with the Pistons, Harris saw a decline in regular-season stats: 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from three. His regular-season role was limited, but in the playoffs, he emerged as the team's second-leading scorer.

He averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks, with 42.5% shooting and 29.2% from three. While his three-point efficiency dropped, the Pistons relied on Cunningham and Harris to carry the offense. In those moments, Harris's mid-range isolation scoring became crucial.

A forward averaging 18 points in the playoffs signing for just 2 years, $31 million—what a bargain. Compare that to Mamu, who averaged 5 points in the playoffs and secured a 4-year, $52 million deal. This highlights how undervalued Harris's contract is, a perk of joining a championship contender like the Spurs.

Harris was a first-round pick in 2011. After his rookie contract, he signed a 4-year, $64 million deal with Orlando in 2015, followed by the infamous 5-year, $180 million contract with Philadelphia in 2019. After that, he inked a 2-year, $52 million deal with Detroit, pushing his career earnings past $300 million. With the Spurs contract, it now exceeds $330 million.

Harris holds a nearly unbreakable record: he is the highest-earning player never selected as an All-Star, with CJ McCollum in second. His closest All-Star nod came during his Clippers days, but even then, he was merely a borderline candidate. Harris was never an All-Star-caliber player, yet he consistently landed lucrative contracts, proving his value.

He is a full-sized forward with reliable shooting, strong rebounding, and solid defense—a versatile jack-of-all-trades. Beyond being a role player, he also possesses mid-range isolation skills, earning him the nickname "Mini Anthony" at one point.

Harris excels at post-ups against smaller defenders and can occasionally challenge centers, showing strong mismatch exploitation. However, against athletic, full-sized forwards, his impact diminishes. He isn't lacking in clutch ability but has never played for a true championship contender. With Embiid, he never made it past the conference finals.

When he earned over $30 million, anything less than 20 points felt like a letdown. At $20 million, averaging 15 points justified every penny. Now, at $15 million, his career résumé becomes an asset.

Harris knows that at nearly 34, this might be his last shot at a big contract. Yet he chose a two-year, modest deal because he understands this could also be his last dignified chance at a championship.

Many joke that Harris is a "basketball civil servant," but he's a reliable one with an excellent attendance record, avoiding major injuries throughout his career. He performs to the best of his ability within his skill set, but don't ask him to exceed his limits.

The Spurs' biggest strategic gain with Harris is finally having a capable power forward. If they face the Knicks again, Harris can defend Towns, freeing up Wembanyama. His size would also reduce New York's physical advantage. Imagine if Harris were under the basket—would OG have grabbed that offensive rebound?

In a way, Harris is one of the NBA's biggest winners, save for a championship to cap his career. Now, for the first time, he's part of a title contender. Some things are more valuable than a big contract.