Los Angeles D-Fenders Guard Manny Harris Signs in Turkey For Rest of Season

For most players not currently in the NBA, split-seasons tend to work out quite well. Though there's quite undoubtedly a lack of continuity in such a process, playing a season in two different destinations can help respective young guns maximize their time and potential earnings as well.

As far as the D-League is concerned, players like the Bakersfield Jam's Jerel McNeal and the Santa Cruz Warriors' Lance Goulbourne both played out their respective seasons abroad before returning to the minor league most recently.

In cases like these, players like McNeal and Goulburne are able to maximize profits overseas, then return to give D-League teams a boost in time for the playoffs. Such an opportunity (plus the experience while gained playing internationally) could help them garner consideration from NBA teams for a Summer League gig or something similar.

While such a plan of action for those not in the NBA seems like a sensible one, other players choose to go about things in the reverse order.

Some of the bigger names that started the season in the D-League, only to flock overseas midseason, include minor league All-Stars like Pierre Jackson (Turkey) and Kevin Jones (Philippines). Such a strategy allows prospects to stay close to home in an attempt to earn NBA consideration. When they feel as though time is running out to earn a gig in The Association, they can venture abroad in time to still capitalize on a more lucrative opportunity.

With mere weeks until the minor league season comes to a close, Manny Harris is opting for the road traveled by a couple of his NBADL All-Star counterparts.

In addition to playing out two ten-day contracts with the Lakers earlier this season, Harris has been excelling for the affiliated D-Fenders as one of the minor league's best scorers all year long. The guard has averaged 31.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. Though he also even began to a emerge as a potential double-digit scoring threat off the bench with the Lakers, that same efficiency wasn't exactly present.

The Lakers opted not to hang on to Harris for the rest of the season, and from there, he returned to the D-League. But with just weeks remaining and playoff rosters in the NBA already beginning to take shape, time is running out for Harris to catch on with another team again.

With that mind, the assertive scorer will head to Turkey to play for the Turk Telekom Ankara instead. Better late than never, but at least the guard will capitalize financially even more on what has already been quite the productive season to date.