Harper and Fort are discussing how quick this offseason has felt for the pair when a smile erupts throughout Harper’s face.
“I’m going to win Sixth Man of the 12 months this 12 months,” he says.
“No you’re not, bro,” Fort scoffs.
The reference—to the prize awarded to the perfect participant who comes off the bench—is stunning; solely a month earlier at a press convention after the Finals, teammate Devin Vassell advised that Harper had been pissed off with “taking part in time and completely different roles that he was in.”
“I’m going to win Sixth Man of the 12 months,” Harper insists.
“You’re not going to be Sixth Man,” Fort says. “Who’re you going to be Sixth Man for?”
“I don’t f-ing know—God?” Harper solutions.
You don’t truly assume you’re going to come back off the bench, do you? I lower in.
“What’s the political reply right here?” Harper says, wanting down at my recorder once more. He calibrates his voice into its cheeriest pitch: “I’m going to do regardless of the staff wants me to do, man. If that’s come off the bench….”
He stops. “That’s loopy. F- no. I ain’t coming off no bench.”
“Bro, all you bought to know is you going to be within the beginning lineup,” Fort says, ending the dialogue. “Be able to hoop.” (Later within the dialog, Harper walks the Sixth Man factor again: “I used to be mendacity,” he says. “I had a smile on my face.”)
