When Joe Harris re-signed with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2018 offseason, the sharpshooter inked a two-year deal worth $16 million. He was coming off a year in which he’d shot a then career-high 41.9% from 3-point territory breaking, the previous career-high (38.5%) he’d set in his first year with the Nets.
Of course, Harris proved to be a bargain, leading the league in 3-point shooting with his now career-high of 47.4% in 2018-19, following that up with another high success rate (42.4%) from long-range in 2019-20.
So, it’s safe to say Harris should make quite a bit more as a free agent this offseason than he did last time around.
At one point, it seemed like he might make as much annually as he did over the duration of his last deal with Brooklyn. But between the pandemic and the league’s issues withues with China, the salary cap probably won’t increase ahead of 2020-21 like it was expected to entering 2019-20.
Still, John Hollinger of The Athletic thinks Harris will get a pay raise.
The former vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies projects the Brooklyn sharpshooter will command just over $10.9 million in the first year of his new deal.
“Harris just barely keeps his toes inside the MLE category and could very well get more than that in the open market, given how much every team is looking for a shooter.”
Hollinger notes Harris’ age (29) doesn’t necessarily help him when it comes to negotiating the length of his deal. Still, he anticipates the Nets wing “will be very popular” in the free agent market.
“…the biggest factor working against him being the lack of contending teams with cap space. His most appealing option is likely returning to the Nets at a number above the MLE.”