Because of his $26 million expiring contract, Tobias Harris has been included in just about every trade rumor involving the Detroit Pistons, but his impact is being overlooked.
Harris is 33 years old and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so yes, the Pistons will eventually have to find a long-term replacement for him, whether it’s with someone on the roster now or talent from the outside.
Looking at some of the reported available options, there are few who are a significant upgrade from Harris, especially when you factor in the leadership role he has taken on this team.
Detroit Pistons: Tobias Harris may not be traded
When Tobias Harris first signed with the Pistons, I immediately looked at this trade deadline as the logical time he’d be dealt, as it makes sense to use his expiring contract rather than potentially losing him for nothing.
But the Pistons aren’t going to trade Harris just to recoup some value, as he is offering plenty of it to the team right now.
We can talk about all the nebulous stuff like leadership and “veteran presence”, but they are real, and Harris does have a calming effect on this team at times. When Detroit is floundering offensively, JB Bickerstaff will often turn to the guy he’s called the team’s “security blanket” and more times than not, Harris delivers.
He can still get his own shot on almost anyone and is still a guy who can knock down a 3-pointer, though you’d like to see his catch-and-shoot numbers tick up. They have of late, as Harris has shot 40 percent from 3-point range on 4.5 attempts per game. If he can continue to give that kind of production, the Pistons won’t need to go hunting for a stretch four.
Fans have talked endlessly about acquiring a 3-point shooting power forward, but who is that exactly? They’d have to give up half of their roster to get Lauri Markkanen, and he’s really the only name being tossed around who qualifies as a true high-volume 3-point shooter.
The Harris upgrade isn’t immediately apparent, and he’s still holding his own, averaging the steady 14 points and five rebounds per game that he has for most of his career.
Harris means a lot to this team as a leader and scorer right now, not to mention he’s the only real power forward on the roster, so trading him for a non-forward would leave this team shorthanded and possibly worse off, even if that person is a better player.
Before this season started, I would have bet on Harris being traded at some point, but now I’m not so sure and could envision a future where Harris finishes the season with the Pistons, signs a short-term deal and ends his career in Detroit.