Gary Harris just got PAID.
The Denver Nuggets love what Harris brings at the two-guard spot — he plays well off Nikola Jokic, he averaged 14.9 points per game last season, shot 42 percent from three, averaged an impressive 1.2 points per possession on spot-up attempts, and he is a good defender as well. All at age 23.
So Denver paid up to lock him up, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
That guaranteed number makes more sense than the agent-friendly first number, $74 million is an average of $18.5 million per season (it does depend on how achievable those bonuses are). A contract that averages $21 million would be steep. The Nuggets could be flirting with the tax line in the 2018-19, especially considering they will have the contract extensions for Jokic and Will Barton due.
The Gary Harris extension now has Denver with $113M in guaranteed salary next year. The Nuggets could be a tax team in 2018-19.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 8, 2017
This is a good move by Denver, the Nuggets lock up a crucial part of their young core along with Jokic, Jamal Murray, and, for the next few years, Paul Millsap. Harris provides the defense and floor spacing the Nuggets need with Jokic and Millsap inside.
Harris gets his money and avoids restricted free agent next July, when a number of two-guard “3&D” guys — Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — will all be on the market as unrestricted free agents.
The Nuggets are going to be a playoff team in the West this season if they can stay healthy and improve their defense. Bringing in Millsap and keeping Harris happy should help with that.