Philadelphia 76ers: Reacting to 2019 NBA free agency

Tobias Harris sticks around

Clearly a hedge against Butler when the Sixers traded for him, Tobias Harris was reportedly minting a new deal just below the max, per ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski:

Even though Harris shot poorly this postseason, it’s easy to see why. It was difficult for him to find rhythm with such little time to fit in. In the 76ers’ new lineup, Harris can be used in a motley of ways that weren’t realistic with Butler.

A hot topic of debate among Sixers fans this season was which wing to keep between Butler and Harris. That question seemed to have been answered as Butler dominated this postseason and Harris flopped, but Jimmy Buckets clearly had other ideas.

In a Butler-less offense, Harris will get a lot more on-ball touches. That’s exactly what he needs to stay in the flow, and he’ll become a more effective shooter as a result. Simply being relegated to a spot-up role is not ideal for him.

The reported sum of $180 million for Harris is huge, but it was the going rate for a versatile wing of his caliber. If nothing else, his contract will age much better than Butler’s, as Harris will be in Philly for most of his prime. His shooting and scoring are a great fit with Simmons and Embiid, which is exactly what the front office should be targeting.

Grade: B+ (picked the correct “big fish” to retain, even if it was an overpay)