Brooklyn Nets: A realistic look at next season’s starting lineup

Small Forward: Tobias Harris

If this happens for the Nets, they’ll become a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. Tobias Harris provides weapons that not many All-Star players in the NBA can say they have. He would be a perfect fit for this up and coming Brooklyn team for years to come.

Harris is coming off the best season of his career averaging 20 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He’s been slowly progressing to this impressive feat and it was only a matter of time before he would become a 20 PPG scorer.

The 6-9 small forward played for the Los Angeles Clippers and the 76ers this past season and was snubbed out of an all-star reserve spot in the Western Conference voting. However, the thing that was most impressive out of Harris’ season was his ability to not only lead a team but stay just as effective playing in support of his team’s other all-stars.

While in Los Angeles, Harris was able to lead the Clippers for his 55 games in Staples Center and put them into the playoff picture before his departure. Following the trade to Philly, he showed that he wasn’t just going to be the fourth option behind some other studs.

While having to give way to Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, and Ben Simmons, many people were predicting a massive drop in his overall stat line. Harris was able to prove that playing with even more stars wouldn’t do too much damage to his productivity on the court.

In a smaller sample size with the Sixers, his points per game dipped by 2.7 along with a drop in his three-point percentage (-.118). Other than that, the majority of his stats were very close if not better than what they were in L.A.

I will admit, Harris is a much more effective player when he is the focal point of a starting five and has the ball in his hands. The Brooklyn Nets have to consider his willingness to play selfless basketball and still be effective. This is definitely a great reason to pursue him in free agency.