UPDATE: (Via UM Hoops again) the Akron Beacon Journal reports Harris made the final cut
Before I started writing for GLH, I had more than one argument with Jared about former Michigan player Manny Harris. I fully believed Manny could become a solid NBA player. Jared, not so much. Jared ended up being right when he said Harris wouldn’t be drafted.
But based on his production the last two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA preseason, I wouldn’t close the book on him making a NBA roster this season. From The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“Manny has a lot of upside,” (Cavs coach Byron) Scott said. “He just turned 21 years old a couple of weeks ago. At 6-4, 6-5 he’s very athletic, a very good defender, hounds the ball pretty well, makes pretty good decisions.”
Harris has averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals per game while shooting 60 percent over his last two preseason games.
He also ended up in a pretty good situation in Cleveland, what with the departure of a certain athletic small forward who just happened to be a two-time MVP leaving a void in the athletic small forward department on the roster. The Cavs are re-tooling their roster post-LeBron and don’t have much to lose by giving a low-cost young player with upside like Harris a roster spot if he continues to play well this preseason. (Hat-tip: UM Hoops).
– Patrick Hayes