Cleveland Cavaliers: Should Joe Harris Get Starts?
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Joe Harris at the No. 33 spot in the 2014 draft. And while second-round picks don’t always pan out the way a team may expect, Harris not only made the squad, but he was also given a two-year, fully guaranteed contract in the process.
| Season | School | Conf | G | MP | FG% | 2P% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | Virginia | ACC | 31 | 29.4 | .418 | .420 | .417 | .759 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 10.4 |
| 2011-12 | Virginia | ACC | 32 | 30.3 | .442 | .497 | .380 | .772 | 3.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 11.3 |
| 2012-13 | Virginia | ACC | 35 | 32.5 | .468 | .502 | .425 | .740 | 4.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 16.3 |
| 2013-14 | Virginia | ACC | 37 | 28.8 | .441 | .487 | .400 | .640 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 12.0 |
| Career | Virginia | 135 | 30.3 | .445 | .484 | .407 | .722 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 12.6 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 11/20/2014.
While the big news coming into the season was a lineup that featured LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the signing of Harris could have been considered an afterthought, and rightfully so. And as a second-round pick, the chances of Harris getting significant playing time was between slim and none.
However, so far, Harris has performed well with the limited opportunities he has been given. One such instance took place in the Cavaliers’ 122-121 win over the Boston Celtics on Nov. 14. In that game, Harris made a key three-pointer that trimmed what was once a 19-point deficit to three points. And Harris also converted three free-throws after he was fouled on another three-point attempt.
Although Harris’ six points don’t jump off the stat sheet, those points came in clutch time and his solid play has raised the eyebrows of those within the organization as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports following the win over the Celtics:
"With the way he is progressing and as well as he is playing, Joe Harris will be the starting shooting guard sooner rather than later. Much sooner. As in within a couple of weeks (or less), one source with knowledge of the team’s thinking said. At least one member of the Cavs’ brain trust is already in favor of the switch.It was the rookie second-round pick – not Dion Waiters or Mike Miller – playing the final six minutes of Friday’s tight game. The Cavs closed the night with Kyrie Irving and Harris in the backcourt, Shawn Marion and LeBron James in the frontcourt and Kevin Love at center. That’s a lineup they could use more and more going forward.What seems clear at this point is Dion Waiters’ move to the bench is long term and Marion starting at shooting guard seems short term. Someone has to fill that spot and Harris, at this point, is the likeliest candidate."
And for those of you who thought the outing against the Celtics was a one-hit wonder, then you would be incorrect. The next night, in a 127-94 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Harris doubled his output, scoring 12 points in 21 minutes of action. In addition to that, he shot an efficient 4-for-6 overall, including 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
The one factor that could potentially work against Harris becoming a starter is history. Since the league began tracking starts over 30 years ago, only two players have started for title-contending teams during their rookie seasons. Those players are Kurt Rambis, who started 43 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1981-82 season and Marc Iavaroni, who appeared in 77 games as a starter for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1982-1983 season, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports ProBasketballTalk.com.
But on the positive side of the equation, Harris is a player who can be effective without the basketball and he excels as a spot-up shooter. In fact, during one of his seasons at the University of Virginia, he converted 57 percent of corner three-pointers. And with James, Love and Irving drawing so much attention from opposing defenses, that kind of shot will be available for Harris throughout the course of the season.
Another reason why Harris would be an ideal option at the starting 2-guard spot is because that move would allow Shawn Marion, who is currently the starting shooting guard, to come off the bench and give James some rest as needed. Whether or not Harris gets the opportunity to start remains to be seen.
But if he continues to thrive in a limited role, the Cavaliers should strongly consider inserting him into the starting lineup.
James Tillman is a Staff Writer for HoopsHabit.com and a sports contributor for Football Nation and Sports Kings/Pass The Pill. James is also a former Featured Sports Contributor for Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @JTILLMAN9693.