Former Raptor Jalen Harris reinstated by NBA

The NBA has reinstated former Toronto Raptors second round draft pick Jalen Harris after a yearlong suspension.

Harris was suspended last summer after testing positive for a “prohibited substance,” in accordance with the league’s anti-drug policies.

The reinstatement means Harris is now a restricted free agent; the Raptors hold his rights and can re-sign him, but the team currently has 20 players under contract — the maximum allowable heading into training camp.

Of course, several of those contracts are non-guaranteed, including the much-speculated-about Svi Mykhailiuk, so the Raptors could waive Mykhailiuk or another player on a non-guaranteed contract to make room for Harris.

Of course, they can can also just waive his rights and let him sign elsewhere. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Either way it’s great to see Harris reinstated. After being suspended, Harris played in Italy for Vanoli Cremona, and right here in Canada for the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the CEBL. He’s clearly kept in game shape, and the reinstatement indicates that whatever substance abuse issue he had last summer is now in check.

Drafted 59th overall in 2020, the 6’5” Harris signed a two-way contract and played 13 games with the displaced Raptors in Tampa. He averaged 7.4 points on 50/47/78 shooting splits with the big club. He also played seven games with the displaced Raptors 905 the same season, averaging 17.6 points on 46/50/67 splits.