Former Detroit Pistons All-Star Shows Love to Free Agency Acquisition

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris received support from his former teammate.

Dec 27, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond (3) defends Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this week, the Detroit Pistons made it official with Tobias Harris; the former first-round pick is set to return to the organization for a second stint.

Once the signing became official, Harris took to Instagram to send a message to his followers regarding his next move after a run with the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Detroit, it’s been nothing but love from the start,” wrote Harris. “I appreciate you welcoming me and my family back with open arms. I’m grateful for all who have supported me throughout this journey, its an exciting time and I’m ecstatic for the new chapter. Time to get to work and build something special for this city!!!”

As Harris announced his next move, former Pistons All-Star Andre Drummond left a comment, showing support for the veteran forward as he returns to the Pistons.

“It’s up!” said Drummond. “You know what to do my brother.”

During Harris’ first stint with the Pistons, he joined forces with Drummond, who was one of the league’s dominant bigs.

At the time, Harris wrapped up a four-year run with the Orlando Magic after getting traded for Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings. He finished out the 2015-2016 season with 27 games played in Detroit. The following year, Harris appeared in a full 82-game season, starting in a little over half of those matchups.

By 2017-2018, Harris established himself as a full-time starter for the Pistons. After 48 games, he was dealt away to the Los Angeles Clippers in the blockbuster deal for Blake Griffin.

Harris’ initial run with the Pistons was short — but his time in LA wasn’t long-term as well. After seeing the court with the Clippers for 87 games across two seasons, Harris was traded to the 76ers. When he approached free agency in 2019, Harris signed a five-year deal. He played the entire contract with the 76ers, wrapping up his run in 2023-2024.

Harris joins the Pistons on a two-year deal, reportedly worth over $50 million. As Harris leaves for Detroit, Drummond makes a return to the Sixers for a second stint. While the two crossed paths twice in their career — once in Detroit and another time in Philly — they’ll remain Eastern Conference rivals for the 2024-2025 season. Still, Drummond is supportive of his two-time teammate as he returns to the Pistons.