Los Angeles Clippers: Tobias Harris proving Blake Griffin trade was worth it

By Evan Massey | Mar 12, 2018

OAKLAND, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Tobias Harris /

Tobias Harris is proving game in and game out that the Los Angeles Clippers made the right choice to trade Blake Griffin.

At the time of the trade, many thought the Los Angeles Clippers had lost their mind. Trading Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons was so out of the blue that it caught the NBA by surprise. Griffin had been rumored in trade talks for the last couple of offseasons, but it was DeAndre Jordan that was expected to be traded this year in the middle of the season, not Griffin, who had just re-signed with L.A. to a long-term deal.

While trading a star player is never an easy decision, the Clippers have not fallen apart as a team. In fact, they are in the middle of the playoff race for the final few spots in the Western Conference.

A big part of the reason for their success since the Griffin trade has been a player that they received in the trade. Tobias Harris was a key piece that the Clippers received from Detroit and he has taken his game to a new level in Los Angeles.

In the 15 games that he has played in for the Clippers, Harris has averaged 19.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He has connected on 48.3 percent of his shot attempts and has knocked down 40.5 percent of his 3-point shots. Those numbers show exactly why Harris has been proving the Clippers right for making the move.

Harris is just 25 years old, which could signal a long future ahead of him in L.A. He has one more season on his contract following 2017-18, although the Clippers would be wise to engage in extension talks before he can hit free agency.

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Standing in at 6’9″ and 235 pounds, Harris is listed as a small forward but has actually been playing small-ball power forward alongside DeAndre Jordan. Both players have thrived playing with each other, as they have different games that don’t overlap. Harris is more of a face-up offensive player, while Jordan plays with his back to the basket or off of put-backs and rim runs.

Looking ahead into the foreseeable future, the Clippers could keep Harris as a long-term piece of their core. He could slide down to small forward if needed, especially if L.A. can land a star in free agency like DeMarcus Cousins, which we have gone more in-depth about already here at Hoops Habit.

If the Clippers do decide to try to lock Harris up long-term, he isn’t going to come cheap. He has earned a major pay raise. That should not deter the Clippers from getting something done with him, as he has already proven that his production is well worth the money that it will take to get a new deal done.

Despite all of the frustration about the Griffin trade from fans, Harris has begun making some of the critics of the deal change their opinion. Not only has he helped keep the Clippers in playoff contention, he has also started becoming a fan favorite on the court.

With all of that being said, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Harris with the Clippers. He has showcased his ability and what he brings to the court and he fits very well into Doc Rivers‘ system. It will be up to Clippers management to decide whether to be aggressive in contract talks.

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Whether the Clippers end up making the playoffs or not, Harris can count this season as a “win” for himself. He has improved his value and may very well have carved out himself a role in L.A. for the future, while also helping the team and fans move on from their former franchise player.

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