Despite Magic's Second-Unit Shuffle, Gary Harris Remains 'A Pro'

Gary Harris' 11th NBA season hasn't likely been what he envisioned. His playing time has dipped as his production has, too. With both him & the Orlando Magic struggling, Jett Howard says "you can't ask for a more helpful vet" than Harris.

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has seen his role fluctuate over the course of his 11th NBA season. / Fernando Medina/Getty Images

Let's make one thing clear early: Year 11 for Gary Harris has likely not gone how he'd envisioned it would.

He's played exactly half of the Orlando Magic's 66 games this season. When he has been available, he's playing the smallest share of minutes per game since his rookie season and averaging the fewest points of his career (3.0).

Harris' shooting percentages – 36.1 from the field, 32.0 from three – are also the lowest marks since his rookie year. Take out his 18-point opening night performance at Miami, which has since become the outlier, and his numbers drop further: 2.6 points per contest on 33.0/27.3 percent splits.

By signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last offseason, Harris' role transitioned from starter to second-unit. With limited injury availability and scattered production, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has periodically scoured his bench for a more consistent spark.

In recent weeks, younger players like Jett Howard and Caleb Houstan have filled some of his minutes. Yet, Mosley says his veteran two-guard has helped facilitate the transition.

"Gary has been a pro," Mosley said recently. "The thing about it is, he's communicated with the young guys the things that he sees with them, how they can be better, the things that we need to do. He just constantly communicates, and I think his energy has been fantastic as of late whether he's playing or not. He's staying consistent with what we need him to be and do."

"You can't ask for a more helpful vet in terms of helping the younger guy," Howard recently told Magic on SI of Harris. Howard shared that longer tenured players like Harris and Caldwell-Pope have taken him under their wing this season, then relayed that he's grateful for every opportunity he gets and tries to stay ready to take advantage when his number is called.

"His humility has been amazing when it really doesn't have to [be] since we kind of trade off minutes," Howard continued. "Kudos to Gary, because a lot of older guys wouldn't do that. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure the team, that he's taken that role of being selfless and serving the younger guys."

Harris will text Howard on the side about minute details he notices and come into the team's practice facility to shoot with the second-year wing on off-days.

Since the conclusion of the All-Star break, Howard has fluctuated between DNPs and being the first substitution off the Magic's bench. He didn't see the floor in Orlando's win over Milwaukee, and got three minutes of action in garbage time after Monday's result at Houston was already decided.

With 16 games to play and Orlando six games below .500, the Magic will likely continue to rotate options. Harris scored Monday night at Houston, recording points for just the second time in his last 10 games. It was his second consecutive appearance after four consecutive DNPs.

The constant second-unit shuffling is a byproduct of Mosley desiring to find a punch when his starters aren't on the floor. And without Jalen Suggs, the Magic can rarely afford to play a few minutes without Franz Wagner or Paolo Banchero.

After Orlando's bench was fourth-best with 41.5 points a game last year, the reserve unit is accounting for just 36.2 points a game this season (14th).

The impact has been even less so after Moe Wagner's torn ACL ended the bench big's breakout season. Before his injury, Orlando's second-unit was scoring 40.0 points per game, which ranked fifth-best in the NBA at the time.

Since Dec. 22 – the day Wagner's ACL tear was confirmed – the Magic bench is only scoring 32.9 points per game. That's good for only 20th in the league.

The upcoming offseason for the Magic shapes up to be a consequential one. Among the decisions they'll make is whether or not to pick up Harris' $7.5 million team option after he signed a two-year, $15-million deal to stay with Orlando last summer.

One could understand if Harris demanded more playing time with the thought of potentially playing for his contract on his mind.

But the helpful veteran, even in a down season by almost all measures, is still a pro.

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