Do not sleep on Moe Harkless

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Moe Harkless from the Orlando Magic on July 14 for the low, low price of a future second round draft pick. A top-15 draft pick himself just three years prior, Harkless’ value to the Magic had declined to virtually nothing. He played just 45 games in 2014-15, averaging 3.5 points in 15 minutes, so it came as no surprise when the Magic officially moved on. He was effectively obsolete.

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It would be remarkably easy, then, to paint Harkless as a bust; a guy who couldn’t hack it as a valued prospect—even on a rebuilding team; a guy that will never meet the potential he once had. Yet, such a portrait would be unfair. A closer look at his time in…