Gary Harris

Gary Harris
SG - 6’4, 210lbs - 23 years old - 4 years of experience

Harris came into the league with that most hallowed thing – three-and-D potential. And he has lived up to it. But he has also lived up to a lot more than it.

It helps everything he does to be paired with Nikola Jokic. A spotter and cutter like Harris benefits greatly from an excellent passer and chronic cutter-feeder like him, and likewise, Harris makes Jokic look good too. They help each other. They pair well. They are a core.

But Harris is doing more than just hit the easy ones. Harris is creating now, becoming a go-to player of sorts off the dribble. He is being more aggressive and, with his changes of direction and spin moves and the like, and his ability to finish at the basket once he gets there, he is being more skilled, too.

Look at that field goal percentage. Then remember that that is not just from being set up.

If one was to nitpick, picking up his level of offensive play seems to have cost Harris some of the defence his made his name on. It is odd how often that happens, but it has happened again here, as he gives up opposing guard penetration more than he used to. Relying too much on his hands rather than his feet, Harris needs to stay engaged with this end, as reputation alone will not get it done. He could also stand to tighten up his somewhat loose handle somewhat. Nevertheless, Gary Harris is playing like a near-All-Star shooting guard.

Player Plan: About to start his four year, $74 million extension and worth the money.

Gary Harris
, 6’4, 210lbs, 22 years old, 3 years of experience

Big spike in production this year due in part to Jokic and his ridiculous ability to find any cutter ever, but also in larger part due to Harris’s willingness to work with that and stay in motion. Hugely efficient now offen-sively, in terms of both his own scoring (.611% true shooting from a two-guard) and his turnover rates (9.8% turnover percentage versus 13.6% assist percentage), all the while playing big minutes when healthy. Must recommit to keeping the defensive levels up, however, because his own individual defensive metrics suffered just as much as his team’s did as a unit. Nevertheless, worthy of a big extension.

Player Plan:

Gary Harris distracted by thoughts of his own mortality at the wrong moment.

In accordance with what GMs want from their mid-first round pick wing players, Harris oozes three-and-D potential. He is yet to hone the three point shot on high volume, but it surely won't be long; already a good mid-range shooter and a decent long range one, Harris shoots off the catch and off the dribble, and also makes decent use of screen and curl plays. He projects as a plus shooter at the NBA level, a probable slow start notwithstanding. It's not really in doubt, either.

Also not in doubt is Harris's defensive intensity. Harris was always to be found hounding opponents defensively as a Spartan with an energy level that only some have. He is a smart defender who pressures those on the ball and willingly chases those off of it, both very translatable skills.

What is in doubt is Harris's size. On the small side for a shooting guard, Harris will never be able to effortlessly shoot over NBA defenders, and is only a decent athlete to compensate for it. It's not automatically going to undermine the above two facets of his game, but it will make them harder, and while Harris does not have to be an entirely two dimensional player, he has not done an awful lot other than this, even at the college level. Without much handle, strength or willingless to take contact, Harris is a poor finisher at the rim and lacks the handle to create. He is solid and dependable with the ball, but mostly only because he does little with it; aside from the occasional floater, a willingness to run and smart unselfish passing instincts, Harris hasn't shown much beyond the three-and-D role.

It is to Harris's great credit that he plays effectively without the ball, plays within his role, and plays both ends. He is a high IQ, high effort player with some skill. He does however need to progress beyond here, adding a bit of a slashing game outside of transition and improving both his jump shooting efficiency and ability to get looks. The one dribble pull-up two pont jumpers he currently employs need to be drives to the rim or two dribble quick passes to move the defense. And all of this is very doable.