Orlando Magic: Does Tobias Harris deserve an extension?

Tobias Harris: Does he deserve an extension from the Magic?

When the Orlando Magic acquired Tobias Harris from the Milwaukee Bucks two seasons ago, he immediately impressed and emerged as one of the team’s go-to scorers. Harris, 22, hasn’t made a developmental leap since, though. In the final year of his rookie deal, Harris and the Magic will have to make a decision on his future, and it could come sooner rather than later.

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Orlando has until Oct. 31 to offer Harris an extension, or they face him becoming a restricted free agent after the season. Seeing how the restricted free agencies of Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe went, it may serve in the Magic’s best interest to sign him up now.

According to the Orlando Sentinel’s Brian Schmitz, Harris has an opportunity to show the Magic what he is worth.

"With the injury to Channing Frye, Harris should be the logical and immediate replacement at power forward for how ever long Frye is out with a sprained knee. Frye could miss anywhere from one to two months.Harris, Frye’s first cousin, is looking to land a contract extension with the Magic. The deadline to do the deal for Harris – still operating on his rookie contract – is Oct. 31.GM Rob Hennigan says he can’t envision the Magic not keeping Harris, along with center Nik Vucevic. But in the basketball business, anything can happen when a team has a number in mind and a player’s agent has a wholly different number in mind."

Harris is a tweener 3-4, and could find enough minutes at both positions. Right now, he is the starting small forward with Frye as the power forward. But the Magic drafted Aaron Gordon in the top 10 and figure to get him on the floor soon.

Gordon is similar to Harris in that he can play either forward position, but still needs to prove himself offensively. Gordon figures to be a strong defender on the NBA level and is a good passer. Contrastingly, Harris can get the rim but struggles defensively and doesn’t move the ball particularly well.

With Harris filling in for Frye, he’ll have to show he can complement center Nik Vucevic, who is one of Hennigan’s building blocks. Unlike Frye, Harris doesn’t shoot the three well at all (28 percent for his career) nor does he stretch the floor. He likes to dribble and get to the rim, which could crowd things in the paint unless Vucevic can start hitting those 15-footers he likes to take with some consistency.

Harris will need to prove he can be more versatile and fit in with Orlando’s long-term plans and now, he has the opportunity to do it.

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