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Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris recently spoke about the mid-season trade that brought him to the city of brotherly love. The 26-year-old Sixers stud recently spoke with The Athletic's Shams Charania, wherein he opened up about his initial reaction upon learning about the deal.
“I was excited,” said Harris. “The talent level of this group and the opportunity … it didn’t catch me off-guard, but the talent was exciting. I saw the group they put together, with Joel, Ben and Jimmy, and to be part of that was all I could ask for. It’s a lot of talent in one mix, so I knew we’d have stuff to figure out.”
Harris went on to admit that he was a bit taken aback by the Clippers' decision to deal him out despite being in the midst of his best season as a pro.
“I was a little surprised, but it’s the business,” he added. “They were going in another direction, obviously, so I wish them the best in that direction. At the end of the day, I can only control where I’m at. I want to grow with everybody here. I came here with an open mind about this group, and just excel in any role. I know the kind of player I am, what I bring to any team.
“Of course a part of me is like, ‘Damn, I did my thing, and still..’ But that just goes to show the game and the business aspect of it. I feel people around the league see my game and know my game. They have respect for my game. The 76ers viewed me that way.
In spite of receiving a “smaller role” in Philly, Harris is actually still putting up almost identical numbers from his half season in L.A. In 13 starts for the Sixers, the 6-foot-9 power forward is currently averaging 20.5 points (on 51.8 percent shooting), 2.3 three-pointers, 8.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per contest.
