Trail Blazers: The Redemption of Maurice Harkless

From Orlando to Portland: Harkless Path Towards Redemption

Just like any other athlete whose dream is to play the sport that they love professionally, for Queens native Maurice Harkless that became his reality. On June, 28^th, 2012 Harkless was selected 15^th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Spending very little time there, on August 10, 2012 he would be acquired by the Orlando Magic in a four team trade that sent super star center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his rookie season with the Magic, Harkless was showing the potential that the Magic organization envisioned for him. He ranked in the top eleven among all NBA rookies in scoring (11th), rebounding (9th), field goal percentage (8th), steals (2nd), blocked shots (8th) and minutes played (7^th, 26.0). Out of 76 games played he started in 59 of them. Harkless was on his way to exceeding his expectations until a sudden barrier would appear during his last two seasons in Orlando, one that would make his journey take a turn for the unknown.

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Being in the small forward position put Harkless in a battle for not only the starting spot, but for minutes as well. Competing against other talents such as Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier, Harkless was in a constant fight to get out on the floor. His last two seasons with the Magic were a rollercoaster, where he had highs and lows throughout the seasons. There was no consistency in his development, which was obvious whenever he did get some playing time. He went from a top-flight defender, to someone who lacked confidence and seemed puzzled each time he was out on the court. Since he was getting less playing time, Harkless saw a decrease in his numbers across the board. In the 2013-14 season, Harkless played in 80 games and started in 41 of them. He averaged 24.4 minutes, scored 7.4 points (shooting .464% from the field, and .383% from 3pt line). He totaled 3.3 rebs, 1.0 assists, and 0.6 blocks. The up coming 2014-15 NBA season wouldn’t get any better for him.

Dec 27, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless (4) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Seth Curry (30) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sport.

After coming off of an inconsistent season, Harkless was looking to redeem himself in what would turn out to be his last year in Orlando. Unfortunately this campaign would be the worst. Harkless barely got any playing time. He played only 17.6 minutes, averaged 3.5 points, 2.4 rebs, 0.6 assists, and 0.2 blocks. The collapse of his numbers made others around him question if Orlando was the place for Harkless to grow into the high caliber player they once envisioned him becoming. Seeing that Portland was in need of someone in the wing department, the Magic thought it will be a great opportunity for both the Trail Blazers and Harkless. Harkless was then traded to the Trail Blazers, hoping to find a light at the end of the tunnel in his new location.

Once he arrived in Portland Harkless found himself poised to be a back up once again. Looking to revamp his career, Harkless wanted to show his new coach his worth. Even though he played 33 games so far with the Trail Blazers, Harkless is starting to see things changing for the better. Since putting on a Blazers jersey, he has played 17.6 minutes per game, shooting .451 from the field, and .280 from beyond the arc. Along with his percentages going up, Harkless has become mostly known for his defense. Due to his athleticism and speed, it is easy for him to get back on defense, limiting costly fast break points. He also makes it hard for his opponent to score one on one, because of the intense pressure his puts on them.

Rotation minutes should be more available after a sudden foot injury caused point guard Damian Lillard to be sidelined. With Terry Stotts in the need for others to step up, Harkless has gotten the opportunity that he has been waiting for. He ripped off a 12 point quarter when the team went against the Atlanta Hawks last week. Then in the contest against the Sacramento Kings Harkless played a season high of 33 minutes, and notched 13 points (6-9 FG). There was no doubt that Harkless played a huge part in the Trail Blazers come back effort to beat the Kings 98-94.

Dec 21, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless (4) hangs on the rim after a dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Things are slowly headed for the better for Harkless. With him being a restricted free agent this coming summer, the Trail Blazers can choose to match any other team that wants to pick him up. Even though he is definitely redeeming himself, inconsistency still makes coach Stotts hesitant in playing him off of the bench.

He has the potential to become a better player down the line, but certain aspects of his game are still holding him back from achieving his full growth. Harkless needs to become more stable in his play if he wants to gain the trust of his coach, so he can see more opportunities in Portland. There is still hope for the 22 year old small forward to prove that his NBA journey is far from over.