The Nets finally have some clarity on Joe Harris, but it is not what they hoped.
General manager Sean Marks told the YES Network on Thursday that the sharpshooting veteran will indeed have a second ankle surgery, one that will knock him out for the remainder of the season. Harris had been trying to rehab and avoid the second surgery on the ankle he injured back in November, but he will not be returning for Brooklyn this year.
“Unfortunately, Joe has done everything he possibly could at this point to avoid surgery and wanting to be back out with his teammates,” Marks said. “He’s the quintessential teammate. He is what defines a Brooklyn Net. Unfortunately, it’s been determined in the last 24 hours that he will have to have season-ending surgery.
“We feel terrible for Joe. We know how much he means to this group.”
Harris indeed means a lot to a Nets team that could use more floor spacing for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and Harris provided that, leading the league in 3-point percentage in two of the last four seasons. He was shooting 46.6 percent from downtown in 14 games this season before his first ankle surgery, so more emphasis will be placed on Seth Curry to create some space for his playmaking teammates. But Harris, a six-year Net, will not be able to be part of Brooklyn’s playoff push.
“He’s the one stalwart that’s been here from the beginning,” Marks said. For him not to be part of this run that we’re about to go on, physically on the court, I couldn’t put that into words. But I know Joe is feeling heartbroken about not being able to be out there with his teammates on the court.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch