Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless. (Photo : Getty Images)
Wingman Maurice Harkless and the Portland Trail Blazers have reached a four-year, $40 million deal on Tuesday to cap off the team's free-agency period this summer.
The 23-year-old incoming fifth-year pro confirmed it in his social media account, posting "4moe' ..... God is so good. Thank you #ripcity," as per the NBA's official website.
Portland landed Harkless via a swap with the Orlando Magic in exchange for a 2020 second round draft selection in this same month last year. He went on to play 78 games for Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, starting 14 times and averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 18.7 minutes of playing time per night. His 47.4 percent field goal shooting with the Blazers last season was the best in his career so far.
The agreement with Harkless came after Portland's free agent acquisitions of Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli from the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors respectively, the re-signing of restricted free agents Meyers Leonard and Allen Crabbe, and the granting of four-year, $106 million extension for reigning NBA Most Improved Player CJ McCollum.
It was a great summer for the Blazers so far as team leader Damian Lillard is again surrounded by a reliable group that can take them back, or perhaps even deeper, to the postseason next year.
The report also noted that Harkless "filled a key role" late last season when Leonard was sidelined by a shoulder injury as coach Stotts made him a starter heading into the playoffs. He averaged 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds during the team's final 11 assignments in the regular season, which caught the attention of Stotts and the ballclub's other senior officials.
Meanwhile, SB Nation indicated that while he proved himself as a valuable player in Stotts rotation near the end of the regular season, he also doubled his averages during the Blazers' first-round series 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The article said that Harkless has "developed into a versatile defender and a threat to score in transition", although his outside shooting remains to be his greatest weakness as a basketball player.
He shot 27.9 percent from beyond the three-point arc in the regular season but managed to get better in the postseason by shooting 34.1 percent from downtown, which was a good sign for Portland.
