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Orlando Magic Top 30: The Most Popular Player in Orlando Magic history

By Philip Rossman-Reich

BOSTON, MA - 1994: Dennis Scott #3, Anfernee Hardaway #1, Shaquille O'Neal #32, Nick Anderson #25, and Jeff Turner #31 of the Orlando Magic return to the court during a game played circa 1994 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - 1994: Dennis Scott #3, Anfernee Hardaway #1, Shaquille O'Neal #32, Nick Anderson #25, and Jeff Turner #31 of the Orlando Magic return to the court during a game played circa 1994 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1994 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Tobias Harris, Orlando Magic, LA Clippers
ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 5: Tobias Harris #12 of the Orlando Magic handles the ball during the game against Luc Richard Mbah a Moute #12 of the Los Angeles Clippers on February 5, 2016 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

25. Tobias Harris (2013-16)

When the Orlando Magic acquired Tobias Harris at the trade deadline in 2013, nobody really knew what to think of him. The team had given up an extremely popular player in J.J. Redick in a move everyone understood was necessary with J.J. Redick preparing to be a free agent. Harris had not done very much with the Milwaukee Bucks to that point. It seemed a good flyer for a young team.

Then Harris scored 14 points in his Magic debut and started pouring in points from there, including a 30-point effort when the Bucks visited the Amway Center later that year.

It seemed Orlando had found a steal, a player with untapped potential and a smooth scoring ability the team was missing as it continued to grow in the rebuild.

Harris provided plenty of memories early on in his Magic career. His game-winning dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder should go down as one of the best game-winners in Magic history. For a team that lacked a true go-to scorer and has still lacked it, Harris is about as close as the Magic have come.

Popularity comes in many definitions. And regret is certainly one of them.

Trading Tobias Harris in 2016 to the Detroit Pistons for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova was a terrible move at the time. It was one that signaled the Magic were done rebuilding and trying to push things all in. Foolishly it seemed.

Orlando straight salary dumped Harris for a shot at free agency. And then spent that money on Bismack Biyombo, D.J. Augustin and Evan Fournier. The Bismack Biyombo contract especially has been an albatross. All the while, Harris has continued to flourish, averaging 18.6 points per game with the Detroit Pistons and LA Clippers.

Harris is popular because he was a good guy and great young talent. A young talent the Magic gave up on far too soon.