St. John’s basketball standout Moe Harkless back with title contender

Former St. John’s basketball standout Moe Harkless is back with an NBA Championship contender.

It was one of the worst experiences an NBA player could have and it happened to former St. John’s basketball standout Moe Harkless last season.

The forward was getting geared up for a chance at winning an NBA Championship but was traded to the New York Knicks midway through the season.

From one of the best teams to one of the worst, but the former Johnnie is back with a title contender.

Following his half season back home in New York, Harkless is now heading to South Beach after agreeing to a deal with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat.

The deal is for one year and worth $3.6 million but multiple reports say that the 6-foot-7 role player turned down more lucrative contracts to play for a winning team.

ALSO READ: On-court, off-court leadership vital for St. John’s senior guard

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the trade and Moe Harkless is hoping for a prominent role with Miami and then trying to receive a larger contract in the 2021 offseason with the free agency market resets.

Harkless averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game for the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks last season but saw his numbers slightly increase in only 12 games, ten starts, with the Knicks.

In New York, Harkless averaged 6.8 points per game compared to 5.5 points per game in 50 games, 38 starts, with the Clippers in 2019-20.

The former St. John’s basketball standout almost landed with the Heat last season

It feels like a long time coming for Harkless to join the Miami Heat as the Queens native was close to landing with the team in the blockbuster that sent Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the iconic franchise.

ALSO READ: St. John’s junior guard ready to make major splash in Big East

As a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, Harkless was sent from Portland to Miami in the trade that sent center Hassan Whiteside to Portland and then the Heat shipped the former Red Storm standout to Los Angeles in the Butler deal.

Miami will look to return to the NBA Finals after its breakout campaign inside the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida.