Monday, March 4, 2013
How soon until Tobias Harris starts?
By Joe Kaiser
Save for last night's 3-for-14 shooting performance against Memphis, Tobias Harris' first five games with the Orlando Magic have been about as much as the Magic could have hoped for. Now the big question -- will Harris get a chance to start, and if so, when?
To this point, Harris has come off the bench with his new team as Magic coach Jacque Vaughn has opted for fellow rookies Moe Harkless and Andrew Nicholson as the starters at the two forward spots. That may not last, considering how much excitement Harris has brought to town with his ability to score from all over the court.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes: "Harris makes the future seem not so far away, even if it is: He's a shiny new toy in town, seldom used in Milwaukee. And he's the curious consolation prize that the club received for trading the beloved J.J. Redick. ..."
"Harris is a better athlete than Nicholson, which is no surprise. Coach Jacque Vaughn calls Nicholson "YMCA" because he has an old man's game, complete with scoop shots and waddles more than runs. Tobias is also a better rebounder than Andrew."
This could come down to how the three rookie forwards settle into their roles, and for now Vaughn is getting a look at Nicholson and Harkless as starters. It would seem, though, that it's only a matter of time before Harris gets a shot to show what he can do with the starting unit as well. We'll continue to keep an eye on this.
