23. Tobias Harris (2013-16)
High/Low: 19/UR
By Vincent McMillan
When Orlando traded fan favorite J.J. Redick (along with others) to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a few players including Tobias Harris, Magic fans were not happy. But after his first few games, it was obvious Harris had some skills that just needed time on the court to develop. Once given the opportunity, Tobias Harris showed he could be a go-to scorer for a Magic team in need of a scoring punch.
Harris’ versatility allowed him to play both forward positions and at times create a mismatch for opponents.
During his development with the Magic, Harris was compared to Carmelo Anthony due to his size and ability to score. He could take smaller small forwards into the post and have his way or get around slower power forwards with ease.
Tobias Harris was a key part of the Orlando Magic rebuild after the Dwight Howard era.
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Harris increased his production in his second full season with the Magic going from 14.6 points per game to 17.1 points per game. Harris was rewarded for his improvement with a large contract that would potentially place him as a core member of the Magic for the coming years.
But, after being reunited with Scott Skiles who was his former coach from his time in Milwaukee, Harris seemed to hit a plateau or even regress. The change in system affected the entire team. Harris somehow became a tradable asset.
During his time in Orlando you could see what Harris could potentially become as a player in the NBA. At only 24 years old he has not reached his peak yet.
Magic fans will remember Harris for what could have been if he was not traded to the Detroit Pistons. But his trade did make room for Aaron Gordon to blossom, but I believe they could have functioned well beside each other under a different coach.