The Philadelphia 76ers will need a strong showing from Tobias Harris in Orlando.
While the NBA’s return is no longer certain, it does seem overwhelmingly likely. Money talks, and for the NBA, there is a great deal of financial capital at risk. If and when the Philadelphia 76ers do return to action in late July, Tobias Harris deserves more eye balls.
Harris occupies a curious space in the Sixers fandom. He’s largely resented for his hefty contract, but on the other hand, he’s one of the most positive forces on the roster — both as a basketball player and as a person. Harris is vocal in the locker room, active in the community, and despite the undeniable overpay, he’s still really good at basketball.
The Sixers have relied on Harris for a lot this season. He’s had to readjust to a small forward role after playing the four last season. In the absence of Jimmy Butler, he has taken on an increased workload as a scorer — and, more importantly, as a shot creator. He’s someone the Sixers lean on down the stretch, which wasn’t the case upon his arrival last season.
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When the NBA hits Disney World, the plan is eight regular season games, then the postseason. Harris has long been a fine regular season player, but he’s still somewhat of an unproven commodity in the playoffs.
On paper, Harris should have very few issues. He’s a better shooter than his numbers suggest, he can create his own shot off the dribble, and he’s by no means a bad athlete. When placed in context of the Sixers’ roster, however, what the Sixers need from Harris may extend past what he’s capable of giving.
Harris isn’t a great defender, as he’s not particularly light on his feet. He improved greatly over the summer, but even in his current shape, he’s a liability in certain matchups on the perimeter. The Sixers can mitigate such issues by playing him more at the four (a.k.a. moving Al Horford to the bench), but it’s impossible to overlook his general limitations as a defender.
On the offensive end, Harris is simply not a primary creator in the halfcourt. While the Sixers have two stars who can pressure the rim in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, there isn’t a ton of halfcourt playmaking on the roster. Josh Richardson, Shake Milton, and Alec Burks can only go so far. Harris lacks an elite first step, and he sometimes has trouble creating space against better defenders. It’s fair to question whether or not he can successfully function as a go-to option in a postseason setting.
Harris’ performance will land somewhere on the spectrum between effective and ineffective. How close he is to effective — how well he’s able to generate his own shots and spruce up the Sixers’ halfcourt offense — will go a long way in determining how far a Jimmy Butler-less Philadelphia can advance.
The Sixers will need a more consistent Harris than they got last postseason. He cannot disappear for long stretches as he did in the Toronto series. He will need to fill part of the void Butler left, and he will need to live up (at least partially) to the $180 million contract the front office bestowed upon him.
He’s an important, and far too often understated, piece of the Sixers’ final puzzle.