Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Magic Postseason Profile: Gary Harris Embracing Leadership
ORLANDO - When the Orlando Magic traded for guard Gary Harris in 2021, the team knew what kind of player would be arriving.
After spending the first seven years of his career on the Denver Nuggets - posting 12.0 points per game over that stretch - Harris was asserting himself as an versatile 3&D player that could create off the bounce.
And not only has the 28-year-old lived up to expectations, but also taken the reigns as one of the key leaders on this young roster.
"When things get tough as a team we look inward," Harris said. "We look at ourselves, we look at how we can help each other out and how we can continue to keep pushing through.
"Staying the course and be present because there's gonna be ups and downs, highs and lows, but as long as you continue to just stick to your core principles, you're always gonna end up on the other side."
After missing 27 of the first 33 games to begin the year, Harris played a big role in the starting lineup - starting 42 of 48 games, while averaging 8.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists.
But his greatest quality, and a big reason why Orlando traded for him over two years ago has never been better than it was this year, knocking down a career-high 43.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc while ranking fifth in the league in the category.
"For us to finish off how we finished off was just a testament to all the hard work everybody put it," Harris said. "The fun we have with each other, the way guys actually care about each other and wanna see everybody succeed.
"Injuries are part of it and they suck, but I like this team and I wanna see what we can do going into next year."
Harris now enters the final year of the two-year, $26 million contract he signed last summer. While his contract isn't guaranteed yet for the 2023-24 season, he is likely to stick around and play a key role for the Magic next year.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
