Magic Vet Gary Harris: 'We Gotta Win'
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When Gary Harris arrived to the Orlando Magic after being traded by the Denver Nuggets, he was 26. He wasn't incredibly young, but he was ahead of his prime and had plenty of high-level basketball left.
Now, at 28, Harris finds himself as one of the oldest members of the young Magic roster. He's having to transition to being one of the veterans in the locker room, having played nine seasons in the NBA.
Harris joined Jeff Teague's podcast and was able to speak on being the veteran on the team now.
"It's a great coaching staff in Orlando. Like it's a great situation, but if [expletive] don't win, they will mix this up," Harris said on the podcast. "Do not take this for granted, these games at the meaning mean something."
Being traded to the Magic in the middle of the 2020-21 season, Harris has now spent two and a half seasons in Orlando. He's seen the team turn the corner in their rebuild.
"Next year, if I'm still with the team, we have to come out and we have to win," Harris said. "We have to win not just for ourselves... we have to win for our coach because we [expletive] with our coach. We really have to lock in."
While having stockpiled some talent, veterans Harris and Joe Ingles will play a real role in the young Magic team competing already. They've got raw talent, and putting it together to win is one part, but they will also have to have a positive, winning culture.
Based on what Harris said on the podcast, it appears as if the Magic have the collective mindset that it's winning time at whatever cost. There seems to be a selfless culture being built, and this could be seen if the Magic take the leap and become a playoff -- or even play-in -- team this next season.
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