The Detroit Pistons kicked off free agency with a move that has fans buzzing: they brought back a familiar face, veteran forward Tobias Harris, on a two-year deal. Let's dive into what this means for the team and the reactions it has sparked.
First things first, the Pistons handed Harris $52 million over two years. Most recently, Harris was a starter for the Philadelphia 76ers, where he showcased his consistent floor-spacing and scoring prowess. Standing tall at 6 feet 9 inches, Harris boasts a career average of 16.2 points per game, with a bump to 17.2 points in the 2023-24 season. This signing addresses a crucial need for the Pistons—a veteran who can shoot.
Here's the lowdown on why this signing is significant for Detroit:
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Floor Spacing and Scoring: Harris brings a reliable shooting touch to the forward position, which was a glaring hole in the Pistons' lineup last season. His ability to pull up from deep is something the team desperately needed.
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Veteran Presence: Last season, the Pistons ended with a league-worst 14-68 record, primarily because they relied heavily on one of the youngest starting units in the NBA with minimal veteran presence. Harris's experience is expected to provide much-needed stability.
During the second day of the draft, the Pistons were busy making moves. They traded up in the second round to acquire Wendell Moore Jr. from the Timberwolves and later flipped Quintin Grimes for Tim Hardaway Jr. along with a trio of future second-round picks. Both Harris and Hardaway are expected to slot into the lineup as capable three-point shooters, addressing a significant weakness from last season.
While some NBA writers were skeptical about the Hardaway deal, the reaction to the Harris signing was mixed. Here's a roundup of what various analysts had to say:
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Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation: O'Donnell praised Harris for securing a lucrative deal and acknowledged his positional fit with the Pistons. However, he expressed concerns about Harris's impact. "Harris is a good positional fit for the Pistons as a jumbo forward who can take some pressure off Cade Cunningham and the rest of Detroit’s young core, but he’s still not a high enough volume shooter to truly space the floor, and he’s an impactful defender, either," O'Donnell wrote. He sees Harris as a potential trade asset due to his contract's expiring nature a year from now.
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Bleacher Report: An anonymous writer for Bleacher Report graded the deal a B, suggesting it was decent value for a veteran upgrade. "This is a low-risk move by the Pistons, who needed more veteran talent on their roster. Harris still gets a nice payday as well."
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Fox Sports: Not everyone was impressed. Yaron Weitzman from Fox Sports deemed it the worst deal signed so far, based on their grading of free-agent signings. "There’s just no reason for the Pistons to waste cap space on Harris. It’s not that he’s bad — though he did have a rough time last season," Weitzman wrote. He argued that the Pistons, in their rebuilding phase, should focus on absorbing other teams’ contracts for assets rather than signing Harris.
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Kevin Pelton: Pelton had a nuanced take. While he acknowledged Harris's skill, he questioned the fit and value. "Harris has been most comfortable playing with the ball in his hands," Pelton wrote. "It was one thing to ask Harris to spot up while Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey operated. Doing so for Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey might be a different story."
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Stephen Noh, Sporting News: Noh's perspective was that Harris might not make perfect sense for the current Pistons roster, but he could become a tradeable asset if his performance improves. "Harris has received a lot of hate for being overpaid," Noh wrote. "He's still an OK defender and scorer but he's declining and doesn't make a ton of sense on this Pistons team. They had cap space to spend, and if he improves his play then he will be a tradeable asset for a playoff team."
The Pistons are betting that Harris can return to form and be a solid contributor both on the court and as a veteran presence in the locker room. His ability to space the floor and provide scoring from the forward position could relieve some pressure from young stars like Cade Cunningham. Additionally, Harris’s contract could serve as a valuable trade chip next season if the team decides to shift gears.
In summary, the Pistons' decision to sign Tobias Harris is a strategic move aimed at addressing immediate needs while also keeping an eye on future flexibility. The varied reactions from NBA analysts highlight the complexities of the decision, but one thing is clear: the Pistons are committed to making significant strides in their rebuilding process. Only time will tell if this gamble pays off, but for now, it brings a mix of experience and potential to a young, evolving team.
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