Detroit Pistons Coach Shares Thoughts on Tobias Harris Signing

J.B. Bickerstaff opens up on Pistons key free agent signing.

Nov 10, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) defends against Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) during the in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports / David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having a sizable amount of cap space this summer, the Detroit Pistons only ended up making one big move in free agency. That was bringing in veteran forward Tobias Harris on a two-year deal.

Harris spent the past five years in change with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he attempted to compete for a championship alongside superstar big man Joel Embiid. Now, he is entering an entirely differently situation with the Pistons. In his second run with the franchise, he'll be called upon to lead and mentor a young group as they strive to take a step forward in their rebuild.

During an appearance on Richard Jefferson's Road Trippin podcast, new Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about the addition of Harris. He feels bringing in a veteran like him was a strong move for Detroit.

"I think Tobias was the perfect piece for us," Bickerstaff said. "To be able to get him right out of the gate in free agency was huge for us...Because he's such a high-quality character person, when he uses his voice in tough times, people are going to be more willing to listen."

Veteran leadership is one of the key things the Pistons will be looking for from Harris moving forward. That said, he can still impact the product on the floor as well. In this later stage of his career, Harris is still capable of doing a little bit of everything at the forward position.

Harris is an extremely durable player, appearing in 70 or more games in four of the last five seasons. Last year for the Sixers, he averaged 17.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 3.1 APG. Harris' three-point shooting took a slight dip in 2024 (35.3%), but he's regularly floated around 40% in recent years.

Along with helping the Pistons core mature in the NBA, Harris will also help them improve from a competitive standpoint in the short-term.