Former Pistons Forward Helped Detroit Land Offseason Addition

Tim Hardaway Jr. sold Caris LeVert on joining the Pistons.

Apr 1, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Caris LeVert (3) on the court before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Last offseason, the Detroit Pistons traded for Tim Hardaway Jr. to bring in a veteran presence to the locker room. Though he opted to depart in free agency this summer, he still helped the team make a notable addition.

In need of backcourt depth behind Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, the Pistons signed journeyman Caris LeVert in free agency. Many factors led to him winding up in Detroit, one of them being THJ. While speaking with the media, LeVert cited a conversation he had with Hardaway Jr. as something that helped him make the decision to sign with the Pistons.

"I talked to Tim probably the morning before I signed," LeVert told reporters at the team's practice facility in New Center on Monday, July 28. "We talked on FaceTime for a while. He was just telling me how great everybody was here, just reassuring me, letting me know that it’s a great organization, great people, obviously great players. He was definitely someone who I leaned on for this decision."

Apr 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) shoots in the second half against the New York Knicks during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Another element that likely played a part was LeVert's history with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. He emerged as one of the league's top reserve players under him in Cleveland, and now has a chance to recreate that success in Detroit. With Dennis Schroder no longer in the mix, LeVert will look to provide playmaking and shot creation when Cunningham is off the floor.

As for Hardaway Jr., he finds himself heading back to the Western Conference. He'll look to provide a complementary skill set alongside the duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on the Denver Nuggets.

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