Former Champion Praises Pistons Signing of Tobias Harris

Did the Pistons make the right move signing the veteran forward?

Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles up court against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the offseason, the Detroit Pistons had some of the most money to spend in the NBA. They've opted for patience, not engaging too much in the frenzy that is the start of free agency. However, Tajan Langdon did spend big money to bring in a veteran presence.

Dating back to last season, Tobias Harris was one of the main names linked to the Pistons. Fast forward to this summer, and the reunion has been completed. Earlier this wekk, the longtime Philadelphia 76ers forward signed a two-year deal worth $52 million.

While some have poked fun at the Pistons for signing Harris to big money this offseason, one former champion praised the move. While on his podcast, longtime NBA point guard Jeff Teague feels the versatile wing is getting overlooked.

"I swear to God, Tobias Harris is really nice," Teague said. "He can shoot. He be like 37 from the three, all types of crazy s***. His numbers be there for the money."

His time with the Sixers was rocky at best, but Harris still is a productive player. He finished last season with averages of 17.2 PPG and 6.2 RPG while shooting 48.7% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc.

Aside from being a mentor to this young Pistons team, Harris can still be impactful on the floor as well. He can take on some of the scoring load to take pressue off Cade Cunningham, and is an effective floor spacer from beyond the arc.

Even though he'll be making around $26 million a year, Harris' short-term deal makes sense for Detroit given their current financial situation. It's far from a splashy move, but is one that can still have a positive impact on the team moving forward.