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3 summer free agents for Cavs to watch down the stretch

By Josh Cornelissen

Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers. Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images
Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers. Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images /
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Gary Harris, Orlando Magic. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images /

3 summer free agents for Cavs to watch: Gary Harris

The biggest need on the Cavs right now is for wings, especially those who can realistically pair offensive impact with defensive stoutness. Too many rotation players do one or the other, and the Cavs need to find a few players who can do both.

Once upon a time that was Gary Harris, a rising “star-in-his-role” player for the Denver Nuggets. By his fourth season in the league Garris was averaging 17.5 points per game, hitting around 40 percent of his 3-pointers and taking on the toughest defensive assignments. His mind-meld with Nikola Jokic on cuts was remarkable, and respected NBA writers (seriously, there are few better than Chris Herring) were making reasonable comps to Kawhi Leonard.

Then Harris started getting hurt, and his shot fell off, and the Nuggets could no longer count on him. He eventually was part of the Aaron Gordon trade and has spent the past calendar year in Orlando, a rotation wing for a tanking team.

That’s the kind of setting for a value signing, a former starter still in his prime who could be an impact player if he stays healthy. That applied to Ricky Rubio (even though they traded for him) and has applied to some key contributors on contenders this year like Otto Porter Jr. on the Golden State Warriors and (mostly) Patty Mills on the Brooklyn Nets.

Harris could be such a player this summer, and there will certainly be competition for his services. Yet the Cavs could potentially offer him the starting 2-spot with LeVert, Sexton or both coming off of the bench. Harris is a Great Lakes guy, growing up in Indiana and playing college basketball at Michigan State. Loving in Cleveland could appeal to him, as could being a part of an ascending team.

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Whoever the Cavs pursue this summer, they will need to do their homework. For some veterans hitting free agency the time is now to watch how they finish the season. Are they moving well and healthy? Does their shot look strong? Are they locked in or checked out? The Cavs will be watching these three players and more as they prepare to load up this summer and build a true contender.