Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris’ 2019-20 story line to be one of identity

What does 2019-20 have in store for Denver Nuggets’ guard Gary Harris following last season’s difficult, injury-plagued campaign?

Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris averaged 12.9 points per game last season, missing 25 contests due to multiple lower body injuries which seemingly emerged from the thin Mile High air.

The legend we knew as G-Money, Denver’s Swiss army knife who splashed 3s, dunked on big men and shot high percentages while strangling opponents’ top guards, underwent a dramatic decline last season, much to the surprise of many.

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It wasn’t a pretty sight, as nightmares like these have a way of sticking with you all throughout the cold, barren months of the offseason.

Now entering what needs to be a comeback season, Harris’ situation is best described by the timeless words of The Who. Who are you, Gary Harris? (Who, who?)

Are you the player of three seasons ago, the marksman who drained 42 percent from 3-point range and appeared to be Denver’s long distance specialist for years to come?

Or are you the potent all-around offensive player of 2017-18, the savvy scorer who could hit from deep, create off the dribble, finish strong at the rim and even pull some playmaking duties while averaging 17.5 points per game on 49 percent shooting?

Or perhaps you’re last year’s attacker, a player so hampered by injury that Jamal Murray didn’t need his strong campaign to snag the second-scorer role from under your feet.

Who are you, Gary Harris?

There’s consistent material on the flip side of the ball, as he harassed Portland Trail Blazers’ guard Damian Lillard in the conference semifinals, holding him to just 39.6 shooting despite a battered body needing rest.

This is nothing to shrug at, as Lillard notoriously entered the series the league’s hottest player, fresh off his series-winning 37-footer and cruel wave goodbye to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This performance solidified Harris’ defensive identity, even to the point of excluding it from any “Who are you?” skepticism. We know he’s solid, consistent and deadly as a defender, even when he isn’t 100 percent healthy.

Which leads us to the next facet of his identity.

Harris’ 25 missed games seemed abnormal, but this actually isn’t far off his usual injury history, as he’s exceeded 70 appearances just once in his five-year career.

Over the past three seasons, Gary has played in 57, 67, and 57 games, respectively, numbers that don’t scream reliability. This isn’t just a trend, but an identity, and one that must be squelched before it tarnishes his value, now and in the future.

This may be the last season Denver has a deep three-headed monster at shooting guard.

It’s hard-pressed that Malik Beasley signs a huge extension while Harris and Will Barton remain in Denver, as other positions must be addressed before paying the backup to the backup at shooting guard.

With this in mind, one of the three could be moved, and health must enter the conversation at some point. There’ll be a time when Denver must decide who’s reliable, and Harris is dangerously close to the edge.

Who are you, Gary Harris? Are you an inconsistent attacker who’s always snake bitten? Or are you the Klay Thompson clone many likened you to in 2017-18?

Because with the right intangibles, you’re one hell of a difference-maker for the Nuggets.