30-Year-Old Shooting Guard Signs to the Bucks

After winning 47 games during the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Orlando Magic looked to take the next steps in becoming a championship-caliber franchise. Yet, the Magic suffered some setbacks this season, like a grueling torn right oblique injury in late October to their rising all-star, Paolo Banchero. Orlando still made the NBA Playoffs, winning 41 games and finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks to claim the seventh seed during the Play-In Tournament, but would ultimately lose to the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in five games in the first round. 30-year-old shooting guard Gary Harris has been a part of the Magic franchise for the past four and a half seasons. Harris easily had his worst statistical season this past year and looks to turn things around as he enters the prime of his career. It’s been reported by Shams Charania that the 30-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.

During the 2014 NBA Draft, Harris was selected as the 19th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. He was later traded to the Denver Nuggets on draft night along with Jusuf Nurkić and a second-round pick for Doug McDermott and Anthony Randolph. By the time his fourth NBA season came about, the 30-year-old shooting guard was averaging 18 points a game and was looking to take his skills to the next level. However, his 18 points a game during the 2017-2018 season would drop down to 13 points a game the following season. The next two seasons, he averaged just 10 points a game, giving Denver the decision to trade Harris to the Orlando Magic. In Orlando, the 10-year veteran has split his time as a starter and a role player. Last off-season, he signed a two-year, $14 million deal to stay with the Magic. 

This past NBA season, Harris played in 48 games, having a total of just three starts. In 15 minutes a game, he averaged three points, a rebound, and an assist. His season-high last season was 12 points, when he knocked down four three-pointers during a 117-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on April 13th. With the Bucks, Harris hopes to see his minutes increase and get his production back to how it once was while he was a member of the Denver Nuggets.