Joe Harris is one of the latest names to surface in NBA trades. On Friday, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons for two second-round picks. He nearly spent his entire career with the Brooklyn Nets. Here is a rundown of his history with the Nets and what he brings to the Detroit Pistons.
NBA Trades: Joe Harris Departs Brooklyn Nets for Detroit Pistons
Brief History
Joe Harris began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They selected him with the 33rd pick in the 2nd round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He was known as one of the best shooters in the draft, so it made sense when the Cavs chose him as a supporting piece. His time did not last long though. The Cavs waived him after a season and a half due to injuries. Harris then signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent in 2016. Since then, he has been instrumental in the resurgence of the franchise. He grew into one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the league. By the end of the 2018-19 season, Harris led the league in three-point field goal percentage. This was the same year the Nets made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. He embraced his role even more when new superstars came to Brooklyn in 2019. Harris came out atop as the most accurate three-point shooter from the 2020-21 season. He was rewarded with an increased contract, which Brooklyn has decided to unload to the Pistons.
Strengths: Elite Three-Point Shooting, Defense
Joe Harris has proven himself as one of the best shooters in the NBA. In addition to leading the league in three-point shooting percentage twice, he won the 2018-19 three-point contest. Furthermore, he ranks 4th all-time in players with the highest career three-point shooting percentage. His elite shooting bolsters the Piston’s offense. He will be another great passing target for Cade Cunningham and the rest of the Piston’s playmakers.
Another one of Harris’ underrated strengths is his defensive ability. While not the best defender at his position, he certainly holds his own. He was ranked 37th in defensive-plus-minus impact among small forwards this past season. At 6’6″, he has the size and ability to be a steady presence for the Piston’s defense.
Weaknesses: Injuries
Joe Harris had injury issues with his ankle prior to the start of last season. This caused him to only play 14 games for the 2021-22 season. He briefly had a knee issue last winter which caused him to miss a few games as well. The Pistons will need him on the court if he is to help take the team to the next level. This should not be a problem though, as Harris worked hard to rehab his ankle and ended up playing 74 games last season.
Outlook: Brooklyn Gains Signing Flexibility, Pistons Add Depth
By trading Joe Harris, the Nets freed up $19 million in cap space to sign more players. While his time in Brooklyn was extremely valuable to the Nets’ growth, the team decided to go in a new direction. They recently re-signed Cam Johnson, a player of similar stature who will be important to the Nets in the future.
With Harris, the Pistons add great depth and a veteran presence to their team. His three-point shooting, defense, and experience should help Detroit in their pursuit of the playoffs.
