Who Is Joe Harris: Cavs Afterthought Suddenly Has Real Role

You didn't hear Joe Harris' name much in the NBA draft conversation over the past few years before the Cleveland Cavaliers took him No. 33 overall in June. He was, however, one heck of a college basketball player. 

Of course, we've seen thousands of college standouts disappear after graduation, whether it's been in the NBA D-League, overseas or a different career in general. 

Harris, a 6'6" wing with a 28.5-inch no-step vertical, never really possessed any qualities that screamed pro potential. He even regressed a bit statistically his senior season—his scoring average fell from 16.3 points a game to 12.0, while his field-goal and three-point percentages both took slight dips.

But Harris was the leader of a Virginia team that secured a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament last year. And though not the most explosive athlete or prolific scorer, the maturity, competitiveness and basketball IQ he's shown has played straight to his appeal. 

So has his shooting stroke. 

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Harris shot at least 40 percent from downtown in three of his four years at Virginia. And again, we've seen plenty of dynamite shooters at the college level who've never found NBA radars. But Harris went about knocking down outside shots in a way that convinced the Cavaliers it would translate to NBA play.

For the most part, he used strictly off-ball movement to free himself up—not the dribble, pull-ups or step-backs. Harris was a pro at finding ways to get open—a skill that helps neutralize his athletic limitations in terms of being able to separate one-on-one.

In 2013-14, 31.8 percent of his offense was generated after coming off a screen, which ranked in the top 10 nationally, per DraftExpress' Josh Riddell. And of those shots off screens, he nailed a red-hot 41.8 percent of them.

If Harris has the chance to set his feet, forget about it. He's got one of those clean, balanced strokes with deep, effortless range.

I got the opportunity to see him live at the NBA combine last May, where he finished second overall in shooting drills, having nailed 74.3 percent of his jumpers.

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The rest of his strengths lie under the umbrella of smart decision-making, which, when paired with his money outside stroke, give him NBA role player potential. 

Sure, he's skilled enough to attack a closeout and get to the rack in a line drive. But it's Harris' passing instincts, unselfishness and understanding of his limitations that make him an attractive cog in a lineup that already has ball-dominant playmakers and scorers. 

"I know what my role is. I'm not trying to go out and do too much," Harris told Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.

With Cavaliers coach David Blatt still searching to find the right lineup balance, Harris has gotten an unexpected look early in the season. And so far, he's done what he's been asked to do, and that's spread the floor and knock down the shots that find him (he's made eight of his first 20 three-point attempts, 40 percent).

And chances are if you doubted Harris out of Virginia, you doubted his ability to defend NBA-caliber athletes. But he's held his own so far in limited minutes—Harris actually played a career-high 27 of them against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night.

Just as Harris recognizes his own limitations, we as spectators must do the same. He isn't the savior for the Cavaliers or even a must-play difference-maker. If you've seen him play once, you've seen him a thousand times. 

But his skill set and intangibles both hold NBA value if placed in the right role. And the right role is in Cleveland, where Harris can focus on playing to his strengths as a shooter and passer.

Whether he should win the Cavaliers' starting 2-guard position is still up for debate. His presence would probably allow the ball to move around more freely than it would if Dion Waiters was still a starter. And given the threat of his spot-up three-ball, you'd like to think spacing will only improve with Harris slotted between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

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Regardless, even if it's just been a handful of games, Harris has already answered the question that college hoops and draft fans had mostly written off. He's officially a legitimate NBA contributor and one who actually brings something to Cleveland's table, whether it's as a starter, regular reserve or 12th man.

With Waiters moving to the bench, Matthew Dellavedova injured (sprained MCL) and Shawn Marion's jumper a questionable source for reliable offense, look for Coach Blatt to continue tapping into Harris' role-playing services.