The Tobias Harris Era In Philly Is Over, Signs With Pistons
The Tobias Harris era in Philly could have gone a lot better. It felt like a big deal when they first acquired him via trade. It set the Sixers up with an amazing starting 5, featuring Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Harris, and JJ Reddick. That is still the best team they ever had around Joel Embiid.
That crew only lasted half of a season here though. After losing to the Raptors, Jimmy Butler wanted out. With a max contract slot available, and no one else to give it to, they paid Tobias Harris, making him one of the richest players in the league. Predictably, he never lived up to it.
For most of the time, he was not a bad player. Harris scored nearly 20 points per game, grabbed rebounds, and played solid defense. Were he not a max player, fans might have been happy with what he gave them. But he was paid like a star and did not play like one.
Now, after the Sixers signed Paul George, Tobias Harris is gone. He signed a 2-year, $52 million deal. Officially ending his time in Philadelphia.
Playoff Woes For Tobias Harris
The relationship between Tobias Harris and Sixers fans reached an all-time low this season. After underperforming in the playoffs against the Celtics last year, fans had enough of him. He was even worse vs the Knicks this year.
After averaging 17.2 points per game in the regular season, it dropped down to 9 points per game in the playoffs. Including 0 points on just 2 shots over 29 minutes in the elimination game.
When looking back, no one will remember him being a steady presence in the lineup over the last several seasons. They are going to think about how he vanished in game 6, or how he vanished vs the Celtics the year before. No amount of rebounds, or good defense, will make up for that.
In general, he was maybe a bit over-hated. But it is hard to blame fans for being angry at that 0-point performance.
He will move on to the Pistons, where it is unlikely they are competitive, and there will be a lot less pressure on him. Don’t be surprised if you see his numbers go up as he becomes a focal point on a mediocre team. That said, the Sixers are much better off with Paul George in that Max Slot, as opposed to Tobias Harris.
Even Daryl Morey’s greatest detractors have to agree with that.
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