New Start For Harrison

David Harrison is doing his best to convince folks in Minnesota that the distractions that littered his days in Indiana are over.

As reported by the Pioneer Press' Don Seeholzer:

Signed to a one-year contract Thursday, the fifth-year center said the off-court problems that led the Indiana Pacers not to re-sign him after last season won't be an issue in Minnesota.

"My agent has reiterated it many times, and I did, too," Harrison said in a telephone interview from Denver. "But at the end of the day, it's my actions that will kind of dictate my future. It's a great situation to be in because I have a lot of confidence in my ability to follow the rules and be a player in the NBA."

"It's a great opportunity," Harrison said. "I'm definitely going to get chances on defense to play. Just being on the floor, hopefully I can show I can be a complete player and do it on both ends."

Harrison's comments bring forth the reminder that we haven't even learned that much about his all-around game over the last four seasons amidst his set of off-court problems.

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The sizable center (7-0, 280 pounds) has run into a myriad of troubles since the Pacers drafted him in 2004.  Not a month into his NBA career, he was charged for his role in the Malice at the Palace brawl in Auburn Hills, and he has since followed that up by failing a drug test and engaging in periodic discord with the coaching staff.  His temper and decision-making issues have really obscured far-away observers from paying too much attention to what he can offer on the basketball court.

Harrison isn't too polished offensively, but his size and willingness to be a bruiser should help him on the defensive end, which ought to be helpful to a Timberwolves team featuring wonderfully talented but defensively porous Al Jefferson in the pivot.   Looking forward to seeing what he has to offer if he can clean up his act and earn himself a bigger on-court role than he had in Indy.