The Detroit Pistons have benefited considerably from Tobias Harris’ veteran presence this season
When Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff sat down with the Road Trippin Show after All-Star Weekend, the crew touched on topics ranging from Cade Cunningham’s MVP chances to the chaotic, suspension-filled brawl in Charlotte a couple weeks ago.
For the general NBA landscape, these narratives are an important part in understanding what the Pistons are as a team. Cunningham is the clear leader with All-Pro credentials, and Detroit prides itself on bringing a certain degree of toughness and physicality to the hardwood each game.
But there is more to the Pistons than what those two narratives can convey. From the first name on the lineup to the 12th man on the bench, Bickerstaff has clearly outlined a role for each player on Detroit’s squad, and that role-specific approach allows for the Pistons to meet players where they are at rather than shoehorning talented players into the wrong position.
During the Road Trippin interview, Bickerstaff was asked to single out which player in the Motor City deserves more credit for who they are behind the scenes and what they bring to the locker room because every team needs a glue guy on the roster.
Who did Bickerstaff identify? Tobias Harris.
“It’s true,” Bickerstaff said. “The more I’m around him, the more I feel for how poorly he was treated in Philly. It makes absolutely no sense. He’s an amazing dude that does whatever you need him to do. If you go back and watch our playoff series last year, he had to guard Karl-Anthony Towns. He was getting like 14 rebounds a night. He makes shots. He goes to the post and gets his little middy. When you need a bucket, you can go to him.”
Now in his 15th season and second stint in Detroit, Harris is the steady veteran presence that every team needs. Harris has taken consistently and turned it into one of his personality traits in Detroit with a smooth mid-range jumper that you can set your watch to.
“Every single day, he’s the same person, same attitude, consummate professional, willing to teach anyone anything,” Bickerstaff said. “[He’s] willing to sit with guys. He’s an unbelievable businessman, so like people sit with him and just ask him questions about what they do with their money. He’s the best, he really is.”
This season, Harris is averaging 13.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, but Bickerstaff conveyed how the vet’s impact extends far beyond the stat sheet. By this point in his career, Harris is more than familiar with the rigors of an 82-game regular season, and he’s learned how to survive life on the road.
As a resource, Harris is about as helpful as a teammate could be according to Bickerstaff, and that forward-thinking mentorship is part of what makes Tobias such an essential part of the Pistons this season.
By all accounts, Harris is expected to play a big role when the Pistons return to the court tomorrow night against the New York Knicks since both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart will be out due to suspension.
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