NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 potential destinations for Tobias Harris

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 5: Tobias Harris #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 5, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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DALLAS, TX – APRIL 1: Tobias Harris #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on April 1, 2019 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks’ ability to afford Harris may come down to Dwight Powell.

In May, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Powell would decline his $10.3 million player option to enter unrestricted free agency this summer. But earlier this month, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reported that Powell “intends to opt in to the final year of his contract … and that the Mavericks intend to sign him to a multiyear extension after July 5.”

The Mavericks will likely attempt to make a big splurge early in free agency, as they’ll also have to re-sign Kristaps Porzingis (restricted) at some point. If they keep Porzingis’ $17.1 million cap hold on their books, they can carve out nearly $31.3 million in salary-cap space by renouncing all of their free agents, just shy of Harris’ $32.7 million max starting salary.

Harris’ fit in Dallas comes down to what the Mavericks view Porzingis as long term. If they primarily intend to play him at power forward, Harris makes less sense, as he’d ideally project as a modern-day 4. If the Mavs believe Porzingis could slide over to the 5 at times, he and Harris could stretch opposing frontcourts to the brink of collapse defensively.

Harris won’t turn 27 until mid-July, so he’d likely age well alongside Porzingis (23) and Luka Doncic (20). The Mavericks could run pick-and-rolls with Harris and Doncic using either one as the primary ball-handler, and a Harris-Porzingis pick-and-pop could prove damn near unguardable in time, too.

Harris doesn’t offer elite defensive upside, which may cause the Mavericks to turn their attention elsewhere early in free agency. But if he emerges as a realistic target because the Sixers balk at giving him a full five-year max, owner Mark Cuban likely wouldn’t hesitate to aggressively pursue him as the third member of a Doncic and Porzingis-led Big Three.

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