When the LA Clippers acquired Tobias Harris from the Detroit Pistons, many fans weren’t sure what to expect. Harris’ was a name that was known mainly among the more hardcore NBA fans, but to most, he was an enormous unknown.
Harris answered any questions fans had about him within the first 48 minutes of his Clippers career.
In his debut game, Harris racked up 24 points and shot 50 percent from beyond the arc in just over 33 minutes of play. Three weeks later, he went for 30 points and 12 rebounds on 71 percent shooting from deep in a convincing victory over the Phoenix Suns. By then, fans had already been sold.
Now, Harris is playing in a contract year for the LA Clippers, with hopes of earning a max extension from the front office. And if he keeps up his stellar play, there’s reason to believe that he’ll receive one.
Harris excels on the offensive side of the ball, though he’s on the cusp of becoming a legitimate two-way star. Last season, he shot a career-high 41 percent from three-point range and averaged 19.3 points per game as a member of the Clippers. Alongside a healthy Gallinari, it’s safe to assume that those numbers may decline a bit, but there’s no denying that Harris is the centerpiece of this franchise.
At just 26 years old, Harris has a healthy career ahead of him. If he improves even a little bit this season, expect a new deal with the Clippers to end up in his hands.