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Pair of Potential Detroit Pistons Targets Struggle in NBA Play-In

Potential Detroit Pistons free agency targets had rough showings in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Justin Grasso|
Mar 24, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) shoots
Mar 24, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) shoots | Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

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Detroit Pistons

This offseason, the Detroit Pistons have set themselves up to be a major player in free agency. As the season goes one for some teams, a pair of potential targets have struggled in the play-in tournament.

On Tuesday night, the Golden State Warriors were eliminated by the shorthanded Sacramento Kings. Klay Thompson struggled greatly in this game, finishing with zero points. The former All-Star shot 0-for-10 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.

As of now, the Pistons have not been connected to Thompson in rumors. That said, the Golden State Warriors guard is one of the more notable names set to hit the market this summer.

Moving on to Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat had a nail-biting matchups. Leading up to the trade deadline, the Pistons were connected to Tobias Harris on multiple occasions. Similar to Thompson, the veteran forward is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

In the Sixers’ one-point win over the Heat, Harris struggled offensively. While he notched 10 rebounds and four assists, he only scored nine points. Harris shot 4-for-10 from the field and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.

From a fit standpoint, both of these players could make sense for the Pistons in free agency. Thompson provides much-needed outside shooting, and Harris is a versatile forward who can be a leader in the locker room. Following these performances, there is no telling if the front office is having a change of heart.

After finishing with the league’s worst record this season, the Pistons have a golden opportunity to quickly turn things around. They’ll be bringing in another top-five pick, and have money to spend in free agency. The pressure is now on the front office to make the right moves to proper uplift this young core.

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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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