While the NBA playoffs are still in full swing, it is time to think about the future in Orlando. The Magic’s playoff appearance was a huge step in the right direction, but it also exposed some of the team’s biggest weaknesses.
So, the front office has some big decisions to make this summer. Which free agents should they bring in? What pieces does the team still need around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs? Is it the right time yet to make a big trade?
One of those decisions will be whether to re-sign Gary Harris or to let him walk in free agency to find a new NBA home. After four seasons with the Magic, Harris will be a free agent, and his time in Orlando might be coming to an end, depending on what the organization chooses to do.
So, let’s look at the pros and cons of the Magic re-signing Gary Harris.
Pros
The Magic desperately need more shooting, and letting one of the only capable volume shooters on the team walk could be risky. Harris is a 37 percent three-point shooter for his career and can theoretically stretch the floor. If the Magic wanted to let him walk, they would have to be incredibly sure that they could bring in some other three-point threats.
On the defensive end, Harris was a solid fit for most of the season. He is a capable perimeter defender and Coach Jamahl Mosley trusted him to guard Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the playoffs as well as players like Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton in the regular season.
Besides, Harris is one of the few veterans on the roster and has experience playing next to the young core.
Cons
Gary Harris already failed to show up for the Magic when it mattered the most once. Other than a 14-point performance in Game 2 of the playoffs, he put together a rather forgetful postseason.
Shooting only 31.8 percent from three, he struggled to stretch the floor, and that hurt the Magic. If you only have a handful of reliable three-point shooters, you need them to hit shots when it matters the most.
It wasn’t just the playoffs, however. During the regular season, Harris averaged his lowest scoring numbers since his rookie campaign and he has struggled with injuries for years now.
Plus, the starting backcourt of Harris and Jalen Suggs struggled incredibly with the playmaking responsibilities. Paolo Banchero had to make up for it while also carrying the brunt of the scoring load and that is something the Magic need to fix.
It just seems that the Magic will be able to find some more reliable options to provide shooting and playmaking in free agency to replace Harris. If not, bringing him back for the right price wouldn’t be the worst thing.