Following his journey through five NBA teams since turning pro in 2011, Tobias Harris is set to spend the next five years wearing the Philadelphia 76ers jersey. Harris has signed up on a deal with no player options and will see him collecting a total of $180 million, reports said.
Considering Harris is yet to join the All-Star circle, the contract offered by the Sixers wasn't bad at all. According to the report by CBS Sports, "Harris will be under team control until after the 2023-24 NBA season," and this is by virtue of the no option clause included in the contract.
Going into the 2019 NBA free agency, several teams have expressed interest in acquiring Harris, who became a Sixer through a mid-season trade last February. In the 27 games he played with the team, Harris has registered impressive numbers - averaging 18.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Overall in the last season, the journeyman averaged 20.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists when his playing time with Philadelphia is combined with the Los Angeles Clippers, where Harris started the Season 2018-19.
In an article he wrote for ESPN, Harris confirmed he re-signed with his current team, hence he'd be staying in the City of Brotherly Love.
"I am thrilled to be staying with the 76ers and getting to work on everything -- playing with my teammates again, impacting young people and, yes, bringing a championship back to Philadelphia. I can't wait to get started," the 26-year-old veteran said.
With the deal sealed, Harris is all set to continue on the work he started with the core of Sixers lineup, headed by Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler. In re-signing Harris, Bleacher Report said Philadelphia has secured a talent that is undoubtedly nearing All-Star status.
The same report described Harris as "a versatile threat" that most notably has made a mark in the three-point area. His consistent sniping from the arc earned Harris the respect of opposing teams and forced them "to account for him at all times."
CBS said the decision by Harris to brush aside outside offers and stick with Philadelphia is the player's way of showing his commitment to continue working on unfinished business. The Sixers faced the Toronto Raptors and were eliminated from the Eastern Conference semifinals.
To ensure that a different story will unfold next season, the team will need to further build up during the offseason and recruit ample support for its core lineup that now includes Harris, the report added.
To be sure, there are strong indications that Harris will be campaigning with a team "that may be capable of winning multiple championships in the coming years," per Bleacher Report.
