Tarris Reed Jr. corrals 17 rebounds vs. Utah

Reed was quiet in his first summer league game, but he has now recorded a double-double in two straight outings. With Jayden Quaintance still recovering from a knee injury, Reed has a chance to be the backup to Victor Wembanyama in year one. He won’t play enough to be a consistent double-double producer, but if he’s able to make an impact on the glass in the non-Wemby minutes, he’ll be a valuable piece in year one.

A starter in both games he played at the California Classic, Reed recorded a double-double in Monday’s 88-84 defeat. And with fellow first-round pick Jayden Quaintance yet to play after revealing during his introductory press conference that he may need another procedure on his knee, the rookie out of UConn may be better equipped to compete for rotation minutes immediately. The Spurs won’t need Reed to be a prolific scorer, but his rebounding and defensive ability should give him an opportunity to contribute as a rookie.

Reed’s first bit of NBA action was a fairly unspectacular one. He shot inefficiently but made it to double figures as a scorer, while his seven boards led all San Antonio players for the game. Reed was selected with the 26th pick in this year’s draft. Even if he finds minutes in a talented Spurs frontcourt this upcoming season, it’s unlikely he will provide much fantasy value.

Reed played two seasons at Michigan before transferring to UConn for his final two, and he would emerge as one of the best post players in college basketball during the Huskies’ run to the 2026 title game. In 35 appearances, the 6-foot-10 center averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.0 blocks, shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 61.7 percent from the foul line. While he won’t offer much offensive production outside of the paint, Reed is a solid screen-setter who finishes well around the basket. He also offers reliable production as a rebounder and defender. While the Nuggets selected him, Reed will be headed to San Antonio. The Spurs did select Jayden Quaintance earlier in the first round, but he has some health concerns. Reed has the potential to earn consistent rotation minutes as a rookie. In exchange for this pick, Denver receives the No. 35 pick in the 2026 draft, a 2028 second via Minnesota and a 2031 second via Sacramento.