Nick Nurse Reflects on Ups and Downs of Tobias Harris’ 76ers Stint

The Philadelphia 76ers are hosting Tobias Harris on Wednesday.

Apr 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) warms up prior to game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers are hosting Tobias Harris for the first time since he joined the Detroit Pistons over the summer.

Prior to this past offseason, Harris prepared to go into the new hoops year playing for the Sixers every season since 2019. When his contract expired at the end of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, it was clear that a separation was on the horizon.

The Sixers had cap space to spend in the offseason and had a few players they wanted to retain. It was widely expected that Harris would not be one of them.

Instead, Harris discussed potential deals with several teams over the summer. Ultimately, he ended up in Detroit, which was a scenario that was getting kicked around prior to the 2024 trade deadline.

May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) and guard Cameron Payne (22) play against the New York Knicks during the first half of game six of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As Harris makes his return to Philly, Nick Nurse and the Sixers anticipate a tough fight. Whenever former players face their old teams for the first time, there always seems to be some added motivation. For a player like Harris, who had a lot of ups and downs during his Philly tenure, he was sure to be on a mission to get back at his former team on Wednesday.

“Obviously, [he had] a rocky year last year,” Nurse told reporters on Tuesday. “A rocky tenure to be honest.”

For a player who was often viewed as a third-option at best on offense, Harris’ production was helpful. However, with the veteran forward having a max salary that would increase every season, Harris struggled to live up to the pressure the checks brought.

“I just thought about the weight of what was ever going on about his contract and his play. Did it match up? All that kind of stuff wasn’t much fun to be a part of,” Nurse admitted.

Harris played over 350 regular season games for the Sixers across five seasons after signing his deal. He produced 18 points per game, while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc. On the glass, Harris accounted for seven rebounds per game, and dished out three assists per outing.

While the criticism for Harris often caused a lot of frustration and tension between the veteran and the fan base, Nurse has nothing but positive things to say about his former player.

“A really good guy who was a great pro and tried really hard and worked really hard and produced a lot,” Nurse finished. “I really like him. I like him as a person. I like him as a player. He’s a versatile guy and all that kind of stuff."