The NBA regular season hasn't even started yet, but Gary Harris has already hit a bump in the road in the form of a hamstring injury. After missing Milwaukee's preseason finale against the OKC Thunder, Doc Rivers made it clear that Harris might miss even more time. "[Harris' injury] is probably going to take a week or two," Rivers told reporters in attendance.
Bucks guard Gary Harris is dealing with the injury bug early
Given the timetable Rivers said, Harris will almost inevitably miss the start of the regular season due to this hamstring issue. Truly, it's for the best that Harris doesn't rush back and works his way back to full strength. A one-to-two week injury feels light, but it could reaggravate if he rushes. He certainly wasn't slated to be in the regular rotation once the season opens, so he can focus on rehabbing.
When healthy, Harris' role will be serving as a break glass in case of emergency wing, providing depth in case the Bucks are without any combination of AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., or Taurean Prince. If Harris does miss time, that role can temporarily go to Chris Livingston, Andre Jackson Jr., or Amir Coffey, if the final two make the roster. They can undeniably stay afloat without him for the time being.
Harris had himself a quiet preseason. In two games, he averaged just 2.5 points, 1.5 assists, and one rebound in 10.7 minutes per game. It was a small sample size, but he didn't shoot the ball particularly well for the Milwaukee Bucks, burying just two of his eight shots, including one of five 3-point looks. His defense didn't jump off the page, either. To sum it up, Harris didn't do much to raise his stock.
After a four-and-a-half-season stint with the Magic, which included his least-productive stint since his rookie year, Harris has plenty to prove after signing with the Milwaukee Bucks. This injury certainly will not help him start things off on the right foot with his new squad.
In other Bucks injury-related news, big man Myles Turner also missed the preseason finale due to calf soreness. However, unlike Harris, Doc Rivers sounded far less concerned with Turner's availability, as he should be ready to go by opening night. Injuries have been a pressing issue for the Bucks over the last number of years, so the hope is that they can overcome these early run-ins with the injury bug.
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