National Basketball Association

Denver Nuggets' Player Outlooks: What to Expect From Gary Harris

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Apr 5, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris (14) dribbles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) as Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) pressures Morrow as in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Harris is a man of many ever-improving talents, and he will be ready and primed for an excelled 2016-2017 season.

Gary Harris improved drastically last season solidifying himself as part of the Nuggets core. With Harris developing at a nice pace, it is easy to see why many are expecting him to keep improving. He, along with Mudiay in the back-court, could be a frightening duo if they live up their potential. Entering his 3rd year, Harris will look to have his best season yet.

Gary Harris was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 19th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Harris and Jusuf Nurkic were both traded away to the Nuggets, and in return, the Chicago Bulls got Doug McDermott and Anthony Randolph (Man, the Denver Nuggets killed that trade).

What to expect from Harris? What will his potentially ceiling be? And, how will his role impact the season will all be discussed.

Jul 20, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USA guard Kyrie Irving (10) tries to get by guard Gary Harris (40) during a practice at Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports

The Past & Present

Harris is going to have a bit of pressure on him this season. Not just because fans are expecting big things, but because he will be competing with new draft picks, Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley, to keep his starting shooting guard spot.

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While he certainly has the tools and experience these two do not yet possess, Harris must continue to rise to his ceiling. If he can become even better, not only will it elevate the rookie’s games to the next level, it will aid the team greatly as well.

While the Nuggets are hoping Emmanuel Mudiay can become their CP3, Harris could become their Jimmy Butler. While only averaging 12.3 points per game, Gary obviously has some polishing to do on his offensive game. However, defense is his main calling card as eluded to with the Butler comparison.

Harris is the best perimeter defender on the Nuggets and is a ball hawk. While the 1.3 steals per game may leave something to be desired, many players around the league sometimes avoid throwing towards Harris’ direction because they know of his defensive prowess. This is just a small correlation to why his steals average is low, but rest assured it will grow this season.

Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris (14) in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Future

Harris is a stingy defender which is a trait of being a Tom Izzo product and it will help him lead the Nuggets back to playoff contention. Watch this season for his gritty Spartans side to help the Denver Nuggets win a couple of close games.

As we look forward for Gary Harris, his defensive game is obviously his stretch. He needs to continue to polish his rugged offensive game. Gary Harris, while just a spot up shooter, shot over a quarter of his shot from spotting up. His field goal percentage on such spot ups was 38.2%. It’s not a bad spot up percentage, but if Harris improved his spot up shooting, the Denver Nuggets other wing player could tremendously improve.

A bit more efficiency from Harris would be nice, but even without it, he should be in for a hell of a year.

Gary will look to take a giant step this year towards his ceiling. While there will be growing pains, the Nuggets will groom him to help build the foundation they are working on. A future core with the young guns looks bright.

But one could argue Harris is going to be the glue that keeps them intact. Keep reading and watch out for the next article in the series to see which outlook is next.

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