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Los Angeles Clippers: The perfect home for under-the-radar players

By Aymin Bakr

PLAYA VISTA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Lou Williams #23 and Tobias Harris #34 of the Los Angeles Clippers answer questions on media day at the Los Angeles Clippers Training Center on September 24, 2018 in Playa Vista, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
PLAYA VISTA, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Lou Williams #23 and Tobias Harris #34 of the Los Angeles Clippers answer questions on media day at the Los Angeles Clippers Training Center on September 24, 2018 in Playa Vista, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Tobias Harris

Throughout his relatively short seven-year career thus far, Tobias Harris has never played for an elite team. While he’s always proven to be a great scorer, rebounder and shooter at either forward slot, very few have ever taken notice of his All-Star potential.

Last season, Harris and Lou Williams, among others, miraculously just missed the playoffs in a competitive West despite injuries to a plethora of key pieces. Now in a big market, his play still mostly only received any attention from the Clippers and Detroit Pistons fans who’d watched him play, because of a lack of previous team success and little All-Star talent surrounding him.

Harris was one of six players last season to average over 18 points and shoot over 40 percent from behind the 3-point line. The other five included the likes of Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Kyrie Irving and Karl-Anthony Towns.

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After being traded from the Pistons midseason to the Los Angeles Clippers, the 6’8″ forward averaged a noteworthy 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 34.5 minutes per contest on 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Despite playing with two other high-level scorers, Harris has elevated his game even more this season in roughly the same amount of time.

In 14 games played, he’s averaged an All-Star caliber 20.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists a night on 50.2 percent shooting from the field and 41.3 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line (on 4.5 attempts per game).

At 6’8″, 235 pounds, Harris can do virtually everything on the court at a high level — aside from some moderate defensive issues — and has proven to be effective at both forward slots. Very few forwards shoot as efficiently as he does on a consistent basis and it’s been a key weapon for the Clippers.

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