<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DALLAS -- For whatever reason, much has been made in certain circles of Devin Harris' struggles with his jumper during the preseason. Mavericks coach Avery Johnson wanted to set the record straight about his third-year point guard. "He is not a shooter," Johnson explained. "He's [primarily a] playmaker and a penetrator. I don't know why with Devin Harris, all of a sudden, everybody is focusing on him shooting the ball. "He made it to the league as a scorer, but primarily as a penetrator. That's how he helped us last year in the San Antonio series. Not because he was a 3-point shooter, but because he was a penetrator. We want him to focus on penetrating and passing, and when there's nothing there, take your shots." Harris teamed with Jason Terry in the backcourt against the Spurs and changed the complexion of the Western Conference semifinals. Harris broke down San Antonio's perimeter defense with his speed, repeatedly getting to the basket in the seven-game series. The fact that he was taking at least 600 jumpers a day during the off-season shouldn't come as a surprise, Harris said. What else are players supposed to do? "Exactly," he said. "That's my whole point. Who doesn't shoot jump shots and try to get better in the summertime? I don't know what the big deal is. I'll continue to work and try to get better." Harris is shooting 33.3 percent (6-of-18) in two preseason games, missing all three of his 3-point attempts. He missed the first four preseason games with a strained hamstring. Harris shot 46.9 percent last season and 48.0 percent in the playoffs. "We're not going to win or lose games on my jump shot," Harris said. "I'm a penetrator. That's what I do."</div> Source
It's true, his jumpshot should improve so that whe the drive is taken away he can use it, but its not something that should become a primary thing for him. As a rookie though, he shot 33.6% from downtown on 1.7 3PTA and didn't seem like he was a poor outside shooter by any means.
