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Detroit Pistons 'Expected' to Land Veteran Forward in Free Agency

A Detroit Pistons rumor suggests that Tobias Harris could make his return to his former team this summer.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 10, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) passes
Jan 10, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) passes | Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Leading up to the trade deadline, Tobias Harris was one of the many names linked to the Detroit Pistons. Still weeks away from free agency, more rumors have surfaced regarding a possible reunion.

On Wednesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers took down the Miami Heat to punch their ticket to the postseason. As they now prepare for their first-round series with the New York Knicks, new updates involving one of their impending free agents surfaced.

In a recent story for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Keith Pompey reported the latest on Harris’ free agency. He cited that multiple executives around the league expect the veteran forward to sign with the Pistons this summer. However, Pompey also reported that a handful of teams are interested in him.

“The power forward’s tenure with the 76ers is expected to end once their postseason run concludes. Several NBA executives believe there’s a chance he’ll land with the Detroit Pistons in free agency. But there are several other teams interested in the 13th-year veteran with career averages of 16.3 points and 6.2 rebounds.”

Harris, 31, is wrapping up his fifth full season with the Sixers. In 70 games this year, he averaged 17.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 3.1 APG on 48/35/87 shooting splits.

As mentioned before, Harris inking a deal with Detroit would be a homecoming of sorts. He played in 157 games for the Pistons from 2016 to 2018. During his time with the franchise, he averaged 16.8 PPG and 5.3 RPG. Detroit ended up shipping Harris to the LA Clippers in 2018 as part of the Blake Griffin trade.

With the Pistons having such a young core, the roster could benefit from bringing in an established veteran. Harris can also help on the court as a secondary scoring option and floor spacer at the forward position.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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