Detroit has a lot of big decisions to make this offseason, but the easiest one of them all has to be re-signing Tobias Harris. This clutch forward absolutely dominated the playoffs, showing up in big moments when other Pistons seemed to fade under the pressure. As Detroit continues to plan for its next campaign, Harris has to be in the mix. He is the living personification of what Pistons basketball is all about.
Pistons Have Easy Yet Crucial Decision To Make on Tobias Harris
There are a lot of reasons the Pistons’ season didn’t end the way they expected. A big one is the team’s overall level of playoff inexperience. As Harris himself said in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic, the Pistons were playing too casually. There might have been some arrogance on the part of the Pistons after finishing as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder found out the hard way, being the top seed in your conference guarantees nothing. Heck, being the reigning champions with a back-to-back MVP on your roster as well as the number one seed guarantees nothing. If it did, fans would be watching SGA and OKC get beat up by the Knicks instead of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Regardless, the Pistons’ season ended in the second round at the hands of a Cleveland Cavaliers team that just seemed to want it more. Detroit kept getting behind in the count far too often. Donovan Mitchell and his crew put the Pistons to bed after seven games. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of positive takeaways from the postseason. The Pistons have a clear vision of what needs to be changed and what should be left alone.
Harris Need to Stay Right Where He Is
The Pistons have more than a few free agent situations to sort out. Players like Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green — who are unrestricted free agents — should be allowed to walk. They weren’t difference makers, particularly in the playoffs. There’s not a lot of downside to letting either of them go. Then there’s Daniss Jenkins, who has a team option coming up. The Pistons would be nuts not to keep him as he’s a young star with a huge upside. He has the potential to be the future of this franchise next to guys like Cade Cunningham.
Then there’s Harris. He’s currently an unrestricted free agent and someone the Pistons desperately want to keep on their roster. The man is a solid mid-range shooter and reliable from three. The problem for him from deep is more about volume than it is accuracy. Harris doesn’t tend to take a lot of threes, but he’s usually good when he does. On defense, Harris is a big, strong guy who can handle business in the low post. On top of that, he is a reliable rebounder who makes good decisions on the court and absorbs pressure without missing a beat.
Detroit fans witnessed this first hand during the Pistons’ playoff run. Harris saw his numbers increase, moving from 13.3 points per game in the regular season to 18.1 in the postseason. His rebounds, blocks, and steals per game all grew in the playoffs as well. Without question, Harris played well throughout the year, but he took his game up a notch or two in the playoffs. That’s the kind of player any team wants on the roster.
Bringing Harris Back Has to Be a Priority
Between unrestricted free agents, restricted ones, and team options, the Pistons have seven players they need to decide on in the offseason. Detroit also has one pick in the first round of the upcoming draft, so that is also a factor in their plans. They also likely have their eyes on a few free agents from other teams.
None of that can or should distract them from locking Harris up. Much like other teams in the league, the Pistons will keep working on adding youth and versatility to their roster. That makes the veteran presence of someone like Harris even more valuable. After 15 seasons in the NBA, he has seen it all. He was the one who called his team out in the first round when they were not playing up to championship standards. The Pistons absolutely need him.
Every team wants to see how the draft shakes out before making big decisions. Still, the Pistons have to know that Harris is key not only to their past success, but also to any future playoff contention. His toughness is what defines Pistons basketball.
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