The Los Angeles Lakers were successful in opening max cap space, allowing them to chase big free agents. One name that has not been brought up is forward Tobias Harris, due to most reports of him likely staying with the Philadelphia 76ers. If they decide not to give him the full max, it could lead him to look elsewhere. So many big names on the market have resulted in him being in a lower tier of guys to go after. Make no mistake though, Harris is a highly productive player who would fit great on a team of superstars.
Harris was a big part in helping the Los Angeles Clippers get off to a fast start last season and was traded near the All-Star break to the Sixers. He helped push them to one win from the Eastern Conference Finals against the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors.
Harris is a swiss army knife who does a little bit of everything on the floor. With the Lakers having two superstars already, a guy that can play off them would be tremendous. With the 76ers he shot 70.4 percent on cuts, and 43.9 percent on spot-up opportunities. If the Lakers were to sign Harris, it would result in having no high-level guards on the team. This would mean the wings would have to have some on-ball playmaking ability. Harris averaged 2.9 assists last year which was second highest of his career. He showed also to be very effective in running ball screens. Per Synergy, as the ball handler in pick and rolls, he finished in the 88.1 percentile. Having a big like Anthony Davis as a threat to those actions should make for a deadly combination.
The 76ers free agent shot 42.5 percent in the playoffs but contributed in other ways including grabbing nine rebounds and four assists per game. He also had a positive plus-minus for nine out of the 12 postseason games. The Lakers are in win-now mode and will need guys who can perform consistently in the playoffs.
The Lakers have obviously been riddled with injuries the past few years. A great thing about Harris is his durability, as he has played in 82 games for the last two years. Having a guy you don’t have to worry about staying on the floor would be a huge help.
The league is turning more and more into positionless basketball and skilled wings become prized possessions. Finding ones who can average 20 points a game is not easy, and Harris is one of them. With reports that Jimmy Butler is taking meetings with other teams, it would lead to believe the 76ers would keep Harris. If the Lakers strike out on other free agents and can get Harris under the max at a reasonable price, he could potentially be a good pickup for the roster.
