Sixers who benefit most from James Harden trade: Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris has the skill set to thrive in practically any system, but his decision-making too often gets in the way. The best version of Harris is that of a No. 3 or No. 4 option offensively. With Harden on board, Harris no longer has to play the part of Embiid’s primary running mate. That should help him trim some of the excess from his game.
It’s still on Harris to adjust his approach and unearth more of last season’s magic. He needs to take more spot-up 3s. He needs to make quicker decisions on-ball, making strong drives to the rim instead of dribbling aimlessly into mid-range clankers. And now, next to Harden, he should get plenty of work in the pick-and-roll. He needs to screen well, roll hard, and keep his head about him when moving downhill.
Harris post-ups should be virtually eliminated from the offense, and he should take a firm backseat to Joel Embiid and Philadelphia’s two ball-handlers. This is not a bad thing. Harris will never live up to the luxurious expense of his contract, but he can still contribute to winning on a championship contender. The best way for him to do that, traditionally, is to do more with less.
Harden is an all-world facilitator and set-up man. He should be able to locate Harris in his comfort zones and create some easy shots for him beyond the arc. If Harris continues his recent hot spell and buys willingly into a smaller, more defined role, then we are going to see the tide shift for the 29-year-old forward out of Tennessee.