Gary Harris holds the key to his own development

 

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There is no other player on the Nuggets roster who seems prepared for a big leap in production than Gary Harris.

After his rookie season, under the reign of Brian Shaw, things looked bleak for the young shooting guard. He had only shot 20.4 percent in a measly 13.1 minutes per game. He was out of rhythm and, with the short leash Shaw had placed on him, never got a chance to prove what he could do.

Once Michael Malone had taken control of the team it was Harris who had most effectively reaped the benefits of the coaching change. In his sophomore campaign, Harris averaged 32 minutes per game and shot 35.4 percent from three point range while starting 76 games to the six he had started in his rookie season. His leap in production was so substantial he received one first place and one third place vote for the Most Improved Player award last season.

With the NBA offseason in full effect, it seems that Harris has put in the work to take a big step next season. The front office has been raving about him for the entirety of the offseason and once Jamal Murray was selected as the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft the team was quick to say that Harris was the starting shooting guard of the Nuggets. With all of the stars aligning for Harris what type of development can we hope to see from him in his third year?

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Learning to create his own offense

When it comes to offense Harris is an outstandingly smart player but does not bring much versatility to the table. He has been relegated to off-ball cuts, spotting up for threes and attacking closeouts. He has displayed average handles and has not shown that he can create his own space off the dribble. These are large issues but that does not mean he cannot become a more well-rounded offensive player.

Harris had 62.2 percent of his two-point shots and astounding 95.2 percent of his three-point shots assisted on last season. He did not bring much in terms of an additional playmaker on the floor to calm a portion of the offensive burden placed on Mudiay. Being that the offensive metrics point to Mudiay being most effective with an additional playmaker on the floor it is paramount for Harris to develop more shot creation type skills, whether for himself or his teammates.

Learning to handle the ball in the pick and rolls is an addition to his offensive arsenal that can be developed with repetition. Harris has the basketball IQ to understand the intricacies of pick and roll basketball and can hopefully use his great instincts when cutting off-ball to learn how to use angles to  create seams in the defense that were not there before. Again, given his acumen of  cutting off-ball, it seems very viable that the delicacy of creating passing lanes using positioning is something that he already understands and can continue to build on.

The gravity he can create being an effective ball handler can change his game going forward. To force the defense to respect you in the pick and roll will drag defenders closer to the roll man, as well ask the initiator. It will assist in creating space without forcing Harris to play in isolation. That space created is instrumental in the productivity of Mudiay being that as of right now Mudiay is still considered a non-shooter on offense. The need for additional players who can create space in multiple ways is paramount. Mudiay always has played much more effectively with another playmaker next to him so if Harris is to become the Nuggets’ two-guard of the future he will have to learn to become more well-rounded himself.

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Continue to become stronger

While Harris is already known as a plus-defender it is a fact that he can have substantial issues when defending players larger than him. He is slightly undersized, being 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, but he is still at the slight age of 21-years-old (turns 22 before training camp starts) giving Harris the benefit of the doubt that he could still bulk up and get bigger. Bulking up would go a long way in making him an even better one-on-one defender.

It seems as if Harris has already begun to make this a reality. It has been said that Harris has gained 20 pounds of muscle this offseason and he looks it. Take a look at this tweet from Nuggets strength and conditioning coach Steve Hess:

LEGGO!!!RT @AllySturm: #BehinedTheScenes of a preseason #Nuggets workout – thanks to @SteveHess1 pic.twitter.com/hBX5dmKAeT

— Steve Hess (@SteveHess1) September 2, 2016

That is Harris third from the left. He looks immensely stockier and according to him, it has not affected his leaping ability or agility. If Harris does come back around 20 pounds stronger the positives will begin to show immediately. His defensive ability will fly past his already above average level and could place him in the conversation for potentially a top-10 defensive guard in basketball. Harris has to be sure that extra weight turns into muscle, not fat.

Like many other young players a lot of development hinges on their ability to perfect their body and stay in game shape. It seems Harris understands this and is taking the steps to create the best version of himself physically to bring more to the Nuggets.

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Keep doing the little things

While Harris is beginning to assert himself more and more on each game it is his ability to do all of the little things that have gotten him this far in the NBA. For Harris to take the next big step it will require that he continue being the “glue” type player that he is.

Harris has built his game around being opportunistic and being smarter than the majority of his counterparts. His ability to cut offensively without the ball has bailed out the Nuggets’ offense on a multitude of occasions and the fact that no one can take their eyes off of Harris for a second also helps create space on its own. Defensively, Harris can attempt to go for steals without fouling which has allowed him to switch onto bigger players and hold his own. His quickness and ability to play intelligent team basketball

His quickness and ability to play intelligent team basketball have allowed him to stick with smaller guards when needed. He is a defensive swiss-army knife on the wing and with Wilson Chandler and Gallinari going down with injuries last season, it was Harris who had to cover the opposition’s best wing scoring threat every night. Having a young guard who can step into a plethora of different roles without missing a step is a special team player.

For Harris to have raised his scoring averages and shooting percentages so heavily while picking up such a defensive burden speaks to the work ethic and his ability to continue to develop. When speaking about development, one of the biggest aspects to take into account is how consistently someone is progressing. Players can have a great work ethic but if it never culminates into anything, then what does it matter? Harris has added something new to his game every time you see him play. That type of progression is what the Nuggets need from him.

Once the Nuggets’ health is back to 100% as a team it will be interesting to see how much more effective he will be overall. This coming season he will not be asked to be the primary floor-spacer while handling the best perimeter threat the other team has to throw at him. That type of freedom may be what allows Harris to show his true potential.

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Harris holds his own development in his hands. Whether or not he can become the best version of himself is yet to be determined but it seems that he has the passion and intense love of basketball to sent himself apart. He is one of the most experienced players in the Nuggets backcourt and had the benefit of riding the bench for his first season to stoke his internal fire even more. Having an extra year on Mudiay and the deep need to get better will hopefully equate to a much improved Harris this coming season.  When asked in an interview what he does during the offseason he has this to say:

[Chuckles]. Basketball. Basketball is really everything. I travel a lot, but really I try to stay low key. In the offseason I try to find some time to relax. I’m not on a strict schedule, you can do whatever you want but basketball is a part of everyday life. It’s everywhere we go [points to the ball next to him like it’s his baby]. That and relaxing.

Harris lives and breaths basketball. For someone with his endless drive and undying passion coupled with an intense work ethic, it seems that Harris is prepared for a monumental jump next season.