When the Detroit Pistons signed Tobias Harris as a free agent last summer, they knew exactly what they were getting.
Harris has long been one of the most consistent scorers in the league, a guy who will give you 15 a night on good shooting splits, plays competent team defense, is a solid pro and a good teammate.
Some fans were unhappy that the Pistons didn’t sign a “star” but for a young team trying to build an identity, Harris has proven to be the ideal guy. He does his thing, doesn’t take anything away from the young players and has given them an example of what it takes to be a successful pro in the NBA.
He’s also a guy who hasn’t missed a lot of games in his career, which was appealing to a Pistons team that had been decimated by injuries.
Harris’ reputation was somewhat tainted by his ending in Philly, where fans made him the scapegoat for their playoff struggles and demanded an upgrade.
They thought they got it when the 76ers signed Paul George, which has turned out to be as harmful to their record as their long-term financial flexibility. Obviously, Joel Embiid’s injury struggles have been the biggest factor in Philly’s nightmare season, but Paul has also been a guy they haven’t been able to count on.
He’s missed a ton of games, and hasn’t looked like his All-NBA self when he has played, as he’s only averaging 16 points per game on 43 percent shooting.
It’s led some to wonder if Philly would be better off with Harris instead of George. That never would have been a discussion before the season, but 76ers fans have already used Harris to troll George earlier in the season, and now NBA podcasts are having this discussion in earnest.
Paul George vs. Tobias Harris
I don’t think anyone would argue that Tobias Harris is a better basketball player than Paul George because he isn’t.
When George is playing well, he has a level Harris doesn’t and is one of the best two-way wings in the game.
But given his inconsistency when it comes to being on the court, you can make an argument that Harris is the more impactful player, which is what happened on a recent episode of The Ringer NBA, where the hosts debated this topic.
They all agreed that George is the better player in a vacuum, but conceded that Harris might have “more to offer over 82 games,” and that “everyone owes Tobias Harris an apology” for the undo slander that came his way after Philly flamed out last season.
The 76ers clearly went after George to raise their ceiling in the playoffs, but they have to get there first and he’s only played in 41 games this season while Harris has played in 59, even after missing the last two for personal reasons.
As we all know, basketball is a team sport, and it is interesting how often roles and fit are more important than star names, as we have seen with Harris and the Pistons this season.
The Pistons deserve credit for helping clear Harris’ good name and for doing the impossible, which is to get the sports media to admit they might have gotten it wrong and for Philly fans to secretly wish they had Harris back.