Orlando Magic rumors: Magic likely to keep Maurice Harkless

The Orlando Magic will have a lot of decisions to make over the next few years with the contracts of many of their young players expiring. One of those players is swingman Maurice Harkless, who has had trouble carving out a role in his first two seasons.

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Zach Lowe of Grantland expects the Magic to hold on to Harkless.

"Harkless especially, even though his $2.89 million option is about $500,000 higher than Nicholson’s. Harkless is still a baby, barely 21, and he showed enough progress last season that the Magic still see him as a potential long-term piece. He started last season as a nice cutter who looked terrified to dribble or shoot when he got the ball on the perimeter. Nobody bothered defending him. By the end of the season, he was canning open 3s — he hit 38 percent for the year — and attacking confidently off the bounce when the ball swung his way.He projects as a solid defender capable of guarding both wing positions, though he’s still vulnerable to the occasional backdoor cut when he fixates on the ball."

Harkless does have potential to be a good defender and did show great improvement from the outside, raising his three-point percentage by over 10% from his rookie year.

Harkless averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.4% from the field, 38.3% from beyond the arc and 59.4% from the free throw line. During the 2012-2013 season, his rookie year, he put up 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.7 assists per game but shot just 46.1% from the floor, 27.4% from three and 57.0% from the charity stripe.

Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.

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