The Nuggets and Gary Harris are closing in on an extension, according to Matt Moore of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The deadline for the two sides to come to an agreement is October 16.
Harris has one season remaining on his rookie deal and if the two sides do not reach an agreement by mid-October, he’ll become one of the more coveted restricted free agents in the 2018 class. The Nuggets would have the ability to match any offer sheet the shooting guard signs and I’d speculate that the price tag on Harris will only go up if he has another year to showcase himself in Denver’s high-scoring offense before putting pen to paper.
Harris sported a career-high 16.5 player efficiency rating while knocking down 42.0% of his shots behind the arc in 2016/17. Various injuries prevented him from suiting up in 25 games last season, which is something that could hurt him in future negotiations. However, he’s steadily improved since being drafted with the No. 19 overall pick in 2014 and the potential for more improvement is easy to see.
GM Tim Connelly expressed his desire to keep Harris on the team when he addressed the media at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.“Gary’s going to be here for a long, long time,” Connelly said. “He’s a guy that kind of embodies everything that we’re trying to be, both as a player and as a person,”
Denver is also working on an extension with Will Barton, though Barton’s deadline for a deal isn’t until next summer since he isn’t on a rookie contract. Both Barton and Harris are expected to be major contributors for a team hoping to reach the postseason for the first time since the spring of 2013.