Joe Harris has been a pleasant surprise for the Nets this season. The 25-year-old shooting guard was picked up from the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team, where he never really got the opportunity to play. Harris spent two seasons with the Cavs and played a combined 56 games in that timeframe, but averaged just 9.1 minutes per game.
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Now, in Brooklyn, Harris is excelling in new waters. He’s had roles as both a reserve and (as of late) starting shooting guard, but for the most part, has produced efficiently for a struggling Nets team. Harris is posting 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 22.8 minutes per contest, the most action he’s gotten in his short career.
What Harris brings in particular is his shooting, and he’s shooting exceptionally well this year — 43 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from long range (which is nearly two percentage points higher than the Nets’ average). He also has the ability to score in a variety of ways, as he has a clip of 59 percent in the restricted area and shoots 43.8 percent on mid-range jumpers.
While it’s uncertain whether Kenny Atkinson will continue using Harris as a starter, one thing’s for sure: Harris can develop into a lethal scoring weapon for the Nets.