While Jimmy Butler was the biggest name to hit unrestricted free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, Tobias Harris wasn’t too far behind. Harris drew a ton of intrigue over what would end up happening with him, because while Sixers paid quite the price to acquire him from the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline, rewarding him with a monster payday had the potential to put the team in luxury tax hell for the foreseeable future.
Ultimately, that monster payday, as we learned on Sunday evening. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania, the Sixers will give Harris a contract to keep him in town, bringing him back on a five-year, $180 million deal.
Free agent forward Tobias Harris has agreed to a five-year, $180M contract to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent and father, Torrel Harris of Unique Sports Management, tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
Free agent Tobias Harris plans to sign a five-year, $180M deal to return to Philadelphia, his agent and father of Torrel Harris of Unique Sports Management International (https://t.co/gcG6cfC4JG) tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2019
Shortly after, it was announced that Mike Scott will also return to Philly.
Sources: Free agent Mike Scott has agreed to a two-year, $9.8M deal to return to the Philadelphia 76ers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2019
Scott is a good player and provides toughness and shooting off the bench, but the bigger news is Harris. While he struggled at times to get acclimated to his new surroundings following the trade to the City of Brotherly Love, he was outstanding as a member of the Clippers. Blessed with a dynamite 1-on-1 game and a silky smooth jumper, Harris showed his latest step forward as a dangerous scorer. On the year, the well-traveled forward averaged 20 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and despite not quite hitting threes at a clip he would have liked in Philly, he connected on 39.7 percent of his attempts from downtown on the season.
Harris’ NBA career has been largely defined by the fact that he’s curiously been traded a number of times. But now, as all eyes shift to what will happen with Butler, it looks like Harris has a long-term home in Philly.
