Tobias Harris and his father are sending clear messages to the Philadelphia 76ers front office and their fan base. Harris’ father criticized the 76ers coaching staff last week for how his son is being used in their offense.
Things will certainly change now that Doc Rivers was fired in May following another disappointing exit from the playoffs, but Harris’ name is still being thrown around in potential trade scenarios. So, this week he finally chose to clap back at 76ers fans.
Crumbl Cookies or Harris at Small Forward?
Harris made an appearance at a Fanatics “Merch Madness: Fan Gear Giveaway” event at Wells Fargo Center. The event is a basketball skills camp to help underserved youth in the Philadelphia area. Harris was asked about his name being thrown into different trade scenarios and the rumors surrounding his future in Philadelphia.
“Casual Sixers fans, they’ll trade me for a Crumbl Cookie,” said Harris to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But at the end of the day, they [76ers fans] have to realize that you’re not getting a 6-9 forward back who can d**n near shoot 40 percent from three, guard the other team’s best player, shoot, post up, drive and play 70-plus games a year. … I’m excited to come back, bring this group back, add a few pieces that help us out as a whole team and be ready to win.”
The 76ers have plenty of tough decisions to make with their roster. The team expressed that they would love to bring back James Harden but he is torn between returning to the 76ers and going back to his old stomping ground in Houston.
Harris signed a five-year deal worth $180 million in 2019. The deal will expire at the end of the 2023-24 NBA season. He is also coming off of his most disappointing season, averaging 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 assist. He shot 50.1 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from the field. His 14.7 points was the lowest he’s averaged since the 2015-16 season.
He explained that it wasn’t his fault that his numbers dropped last season.
“[Former Sixers coach Doc Rivers] wanted me to be the guy on the team that was a stable piece, to sacrifice and to be able to do other things on the floor. That was why I was guarding the other team’s best player. [I needed to] be able to adapt and change my game in terms of being more of an effective shooter,” said Harris to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Just playing that type of basketball, I was OK with that role. I never complained about it. And at the end of the day, I knew, for us to win, it was going to take sacrifice from our group.”
In fairness, Harris also has had to take a backseat to Joel Embiid and Harden. Embiid averaged at least 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons and took home the NBA MVP award.
Dad Wants Change
Nick Nurse was hired on June 1, and he will certainly have his hands full. For starters, the team he expected to take over could be drastically changed if Harden decides to decline his option and walk in free agency this summer.
He will also have to deal with Harris and his father. Both seem to be unhappy about the way Harris is being used and would like to see a more increased scoring role. The 76ers fans also are upset after they saw Harris’ poor performance this season and Jimmy Butler lead the Miami Heat back to the NBA Finals. Remember, the 76ers let Butler leave in free agency and chose to stick it out with Harris.
Torrel Harris, Tobias’ father, went on the “Business of Sports” podcast last week and gave his thoughts on whether his son was being used correctly last season.
“Personally, I don’t think so. The reason I say that, well Tobias is an assassin scorer. I mean they can’t stop him. Nobody in the league can stop him. So he’s proven that over his career even when he was with the Clippers he was an assassin scorer,” said Torrel, who also is Tobias’ agent.
Hopefully, Nurse has big plans for Tobias in the 76ers offense next season or else they could be losing his services for good a year from now.
