NBA Trade Idea: Spurs Acquire Magic SG Gary Harris?

Instead of chasing a shot of youth for their team, the San Antonio Spurs might be eyeing a trade for Orlando Magic shooting guard Gary Harris, which would make sense for a few different reasons.

San Antonio is a city of culture, family and loyalty.

It's been that way quite some time. You can't step foot in downtown San Antonio without seeing a Spurs logo on a building, in a store, or plastered on the shirts of anyone and everyone walking around. It's simple. 

The Spurs love San Antonio, and San Antonio loves its Spurs.

So, what happens when a player forces his way out? Perhaps a superstar known fondly for years until internal conflict takes the helm of a working relationship. Kawhi Leonard — who fans still boo to this day — is that superstar.

It's why Gregg Popovich had to get involved when the LA Clippers were in town for two straight games in November, much to the NBA world's chagrin.

"Excuse me for a second,” Popovich said to the sold-out crowd midway through the Friday-night matchup. “Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? It’s got no class. That’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”

And when asked if he regretted it, the veteran coach kept it simple.

"Absolutely not," he said. "It's pretty easy to understand. I listened to it for a while and it just got louder and louder and uglier and uglier, and I felt sorry for him, and I was embarrassed for our city, for our organization."

Nov 22, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks with Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) after a game at Frost Bank Center / © Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Popovich made sure to exchange words with the Spurs' ex-superstar after the game in a display of loyalty himself — something he's prided himself on throughout his 28-year tenure — and shed more light on the obvious culture in San Antonio, not just between the coach and his players, but also the fans.

"We're the only show in town," Spurs shooting guard Doug McDermott said of the relationship between the team and its fans. "Everyone loves the Spurs, and we want to keep that going."

Perhaps that's why the coach refused to answer any questions about the Spurs' movement at the trade deadline, almost taking a berating tone with the lone reporter who pushed the envelope prior to facing the Los Angeles Lakers. 

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Popovich isn't going to speak his players out of the building. But that doesn't mean it's not happening. And in a recent package, Doug McDermott is the player sent off to make room for Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris.

ESPN proposed the package, which saw San Antonio's veteran sharpshooter dealt for Harris and a 2025 second-round pick.

Wait, would that work? 

To keep it simple, yes. Both sides would gain a desired player, and San Antonio — possessing the higher-valued asset — would add yet another draft pick to its arsenal. 

But why would the Spurs be desiring the veteran over a youthful injection?

Dec 17, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (14) defends an inbound pass during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden / © Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The answer to that can come in many forms, but at the top of the list is experience. 

Yes, McDermott has made his rounds across the league. He's played for six different squads throughout his 10-year career and learned a lot while doing it. He also relishes the idea of being the resident veteran on an otherwise young team.

"It feels great to be the old guy," McDermott said of his unique role on a development-focused team. "I'm just trying my best to be a good leader."

Safe to say, he's done that. McDermott has played the exact role he's been called upon to do. He hits shots, gives advice about how to make shots and is a heads-up veteran when facing adversity — he was constantly talking during shoot-arounds during San Antonio's historic 18-game losing streak.

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Harris isn't as good of a shooter. He's more of a playmaker than McDermott is, but not at the level to make any potential deals "no-brainers." He's averaging 7.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 43 percent shooting. 

But more than stats, Harris has one very desirable trait: the right kind of experience.

 He played with Nikola Jokic on the Denver Nuggets just before the squad finally reached its apex — the team praising his lockdown defense as a big part of its success — and then moved to Orlando.

With the Magic, he faced a much different situation. A younger team with less experience, but still lots of promise. And his mindset? 

Entirely positive.

"It's a great coaching staff in Orlando," Harris explained before the season began on a podcast appearance with Jeff Teague. "Like it's a great situation. Do not take this for granted. These games ... mean something."

Part of the veteran's excitement might have stemmed from the coaching staff and the promise, but it does still give insight into the kind of player he is. And if he were to be traded to San Antonio on the promise of greatness in a few years, he'd likely buy in. 

In fact, between Gregg Popovich and Wembanyama, it's hard not to.

"Next year, if I'm still with the [Magic], we have to come out and we have to win," Harris explained. "We have to win not just for ourselves ... [but] for our coach.

"We really have to lock in."

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The veteran isn't on the Spurs yet, but his mindset would absolutely fit what San Antonio is looking for. And again, it's not that McDermott's doesn't, but sometimes, basketball decisions have to outweigh personal feelings.

Because as much as San Antonio is a city of culture, family and loyalty, it's also a city of basketball. 

Good, solid "pound-the-rock" basketball.