The Denver Nuggets offseason has been long, interesting and polarizing – especially when it comes to shooting guard Gary Harris. As Denver management has tried again and again to make a big splash on the trade market, the debate over whether Harris should be included as a trade chip for star players has certainly been a fascinating point of discussion among fans and analysts alike.
Earlier this summer Harris was reported to be included in an offer that would have sent him, Trey Lyles and a protected first round pick to the Indiana Pacers in a three-team trade. Had the deal gone through, the Nuggets would have landed Kevin Love and Paul George would be prepping alongside LeBron James to make a run at Golden State next season. More recently, the Nuggets have been linked to Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving but reports indicate that Denver will not include Harris and Jamal Murray in a potential blockbuster trade.
Is it the right move for the Nuggets to ultimately keep Harris off the market, even for a proven All-Star like Kyrie Irving?
When you watch the two-man game between him and Nikola Jokic, it’s hard to argue against it.
(H/T to eg14000 from Nuggets Reddit for the video)
The connection between two high IQ players like Jokic and Harris makes for pure basketball magic. Harris excels at cutting to open space, finishing at the rim, and hitting open shots while Jokic passes like a psychic who can thread the needle at pretty much any angle to find his guy. It’s very much one of the reasons the Nuggets had the best offensive rating in the entire NBA since December 15, when Jokic was put in the starting lineup for good and Harris came back from injury.
As it stands, the Jokic-Harris duo will continue to be an integral part of the Nuggets core now and in the future. Add Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap and Wilson Chandler to the mix and the Denver offense looks to be even more fun than it was last season.
Needless to say, we can’t wait to see the highlights these two will bring for the Nuggets in 2017-18!
