Sixers: 3 goals for Tobias Harris in 2021-22 season

Tobias Harris underwent a season-long reputation reclamation project in 2020-21, and experienced great success. He posted some of the best numbers of his career, earned real All-Star buzz, and helped fans forget about his absurdly expensive contract.

That said, it was far from a perfect season for the 29-year-old. He sputtered in the playoffs, struggling in several key moments of Philadelphia’s second-round defeat. While he improved defensively, he was far from a lockdown presence. And, despite a condensed role and better strategy from Doc Rivers, his characteristic offensive flaws never quite disappeared.

As the new season approaches, what goals should the Sixers‘ No. 1 earner set for himself?

3 goals for Sixers forward Tobias Harris: Four assists per game

Harris averaged a career-high 3.5 assists per game last season. He improved drastically under the the guidance of Doc Rivers, who put Harris in his favorite spots and trimmed the fat from his role. Harris operated more exclusively as a spot-up shooter and straight-line driver. With more shooting at his disposal, Harris naturally unearthed some kick-out assists to Seth Curry, Danny Green, and the like.

For Harris, that’s the next evolution in his game. He’s traditionally not the quickest processor with the ball in hand. That was the problem under Brett Brown — he tried to do too much, and it clogged up possessions because he couldn’t make decisions fast enough. If Harris can expedite his passing reads even more, it will unlock his full potential offensively.

The Ben Simmons saga presses on with a great deal of uncertainty, but there’s a good chance Harris’ role will look different next season. If not stylistically, at least in terms of volume. The Sixers will probably replace Simmons with a more traditional halfcourt ball-handler, but on the flip side, Simmons’ replacement(s) will also shoot 3s, probably. That should only improve Harris’ ability to find his spots and make decisive reads.