According to ESPN authoritative reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Orlando Magic are expected to complete the contract extension with Gary Harris, a backcourt player who has just become a free agent, and Harris will receive a two-year, $14 million contract extension from the Magic, and he will continue to play for the Magic next season.
In this season's NBA regular season, Harris played a total of 54 times for the Magic, averaging 24 minutes per game, averaging 6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks per game, shooting 44.1% from the field, 37.1% from three-point range, and 75.6% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Harris played a total of 7 games for the team, averaging 26.5 minutes per game, averaging 4.2 points, 2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks per game, shooting 28.6% from the field, 31.8% from three-point range, and 100% from the free throw line.
Harris's performance this season can actually be regarded as so-so, his performance in the regular season was quite stable, and he barely played the role of a 3-and-D type backcourt player, after all, his three-point shooting rate is quite stable, and he can indeed play a role on the defensive end. But in the playoffs, Harris's performance can be said to have fallen off a cliff, his offensive efficiency is staggering, although he can provide some help to the team on the defensive end, but his performance on the offensive end is indeed a serious drag on the team. But on the other hand, after all, Harris's salary is not high, and the new contract he signed with the team will expire in the summer of 2026, and it will not affect the subsequent operation of the Magic. Signing back Harris with such a low-paying contract is also a very reasonable operation.
With the signing of Harris, the Magic now have 12 players on standard contracts on their roster, and the team's total salary is $121 million, which is still far from the $140.5 million salary cap. They still have a full mid-range exception and a biennial exception at their disposal, and even after getting rid of first-round pick Tristan Da Silva, who is bound to sign, they still have plenty of room to maneuver. And after they complete the reinforcements, they can also use the bird rights to sign Moritz Wagner (Moritz Wagner), who performed well last season. In this way, the Magic will be further competitive next season, with Harris, who was the starting second last season, being demoted to the bench and the team's starting second being Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the league's top 3-and-D player.