This is the continuation of a new series by Sixers Wire to pass the time for everybody for the All-Star break. We’re going to take a look back at the 3 goals series from the offseason and see how each player has done in achieving those goals as well as give them a rating on how their season has gone. The rating will be based on a scale of 10 with 10 being how their season has gone based on the goals.
We’re coming down to the wire now as we are continuing to venture into the team’s starting lineup. Monday’s midday edition is focused on Tobias Harris who has played under a microscope all season after receiving a 5-year $180 million max contract in the offseason. Harris has had a pretty good season, borderline All-Star in all honesty, but he just needs to find that consistency on his end.
With that said, let’s review his season based on the 3 goals given to him in the offseason:
Being prepared for a new role
Fairly or unfairly, the Sixers hoisted a new role on Harris after the contract. After losing Jimmy Butler, the role of perimeter scorer and closer was hoisted upon Harris and he has responded in a positive way. He’s averaging 19.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 47.2% from the floor. The biggest and most important number is he’s taking 15.7 shot attempts per game and that’s a number coach Brett Brown would probably like to see rise even more as the season wears on.
As far as a closer, he continues to take steps forward. He had a play against the New York Knicks on the road where he improvised a broken play and he drilled a clutch triple for the win. It’s plays like that that will continue to help him moving forward. At 27-years old, he still has a chance for a lot of growth in his game.
Giving more shooting
Harris is not a pure shooter. He is not JJ Redick or Kyle Korver or any of those other guys who are born to shoot the ball. Instead, he’s a very capable shooter who can knock down open looks. He got off to an incredibly rough start from deep, but he has gotten his 3-point percentage up to 36.3% from deep thus far. If he can continue to work on making those open looks, then it will really help this team’s offense going forward.
Being a leader
This is the area where Harris was impressed the most. He has taken rookie Matisse Thybulle under his wing providing a good example of how things work in the NBA and allowing him to work hard every game. Harris has been in the league now for over eight years despite being just 27-years old and stepping up as a leader off the floor is huge for him at this point in his career.
Harris is a big piece of this team. Like Josh Richardson, he is probably going to be an X-Factor in the playoffs. They will need him to be that guy on the perimeter getting big baskets and being that guy who can knock down shots from the outside. If he finds that consistency, then the sky’s the limit.
Rating: 8/10 [lawrence-related id=25979,25973,25965]