On February 9, Joe Harris was removed from the Nets’ starting lineup for the first time in 14 games.
This change was due to the NBA trade deadline and head coach Jacque Vaughn’s desire for lineup fluidity following the departure of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Harris, in his ninth season at age 31, understood that his role would change and his minutes would decrease.
He knew there were players in NBA history who had come off the bench and produced despite small windows.
Since Feb. 7, he hasn’t been in the starting lineup, and his minutes and points averages have decreased, as he’s dealing with a significant ankle injury.
Despite this uncertainty for the Nets, Harris has been approaching a pivotal crossroads in his career.
He recognizes that Mother Time is undefeated, and he’s not getting any younger or more nimble. He needs to adjust his play to create a rhythm himself, which he called a mental obstacle.
He used to start regularly for the Nets but became a “second-unit-sort-of-player” recently. He understands that he needs to evolve and figure things out to continue contributing to the team.
Harris still has his bursts and came off the bench to sink six 3s against the Bulls. He knows he can still be a contributor on a good team, and his role might look a bit different now.
He hopes to get between 20 and 25 minutes per game, signalling progress. Harris recognizes that something that would have taken a shorter time to recover from in the past takes longer now.
He doesn’t want to let his ego detract from what naturally happens as players age. Coach Vaughn values Harris as a soldier who’ll do what it takes every night.
»Joe Harris approaches pivotal crossroads in his career«
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