Nets forward Joe Harris cleared to play against Raptors tonight

Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris is now cleared to play in his first game in almost a year. Last November, Harris underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle after injuring it against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Harris was ruled out 4-to-8 weeks during the 2021-22 season. However, back in March, the forward revealed his plans to undergo a second surgical procedure on his ankle, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

A few NBA betting sites are giving the Nets top-3 odds to win the championship in 2023. However, some sportsbooks are showing higher odds for the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors.

Joe Harris: “I am gonna play tonight. I'm excited. I wanted to try and play in the first game but just wasn't quite where I was supposed to be. I needed like you know just a little bit more time but I feel good right now and I'm excited to play tonight.”

— Chris Milholen (@ChrisMilholen) October 21, 2022

He will make his debut at home tonight against the Toronto Raptors. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. According to Vivid Seats, tickets are available for as low as $56.

In 14 games played last season, Harris averaged 11.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. Plus, he shot 45.2% from the field and 46.6% from 3-point range.

Nets forward Joe Harris will appear in his first game in nearly a year against the Raptors tonight

On Friday, Harris released this statement: “I am gonna play tonight. I’m excited. I wanted to try and play in the first game but just wasn’t quite where I was supposed to be. I needed — like you know — just a little bit more time, but I feel good right now and I’m excited to play tonight.”

During the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend, he won the NBA 3-Point Contest. Of course, throughout the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Harris logged career highs of 14.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Moreover, in November 2020, Harris re-signed with the Nets on a four-year, $75 million contract. He will earn $18,642,857 with Brooklyn for the 2022-23 season. For the 2023-24 season, the final year of his contract, the forward will make $19,928,571.

During the 2020-21 season, in 69 appearances, Joe Harris averaged 14.1 points, 3.6 boards, and 1.9 assists. The wing also led the NBA in 3-point shooting (47.5%). Not to mention, he finished second in effective field goal percentage (65.4%) and sixth overall for 3-pointers (211).

In Brooklyn’s 106-93 loss against the Miami Heat on October 27, 2021, Harris became the franchise leader in career 3-pointers, passing Jason Kidd on the list (813). Now, the forward currently has 874 career 3-pointers.

On Nov. 12, in the Nets’ 120-112 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the forward scored a season-high 24 points in 37 minutes of action. He finished 9-of-12 (75%) shooting from the floor and 6-of-8 (75%) from downtown.