Former 76ers vet Tobias Harris shows the same flaws in new suits

With the Detroit Pistons off to a 2-2 start to the season, a face familiar to 76ers fans is drawing the ire of the Pistons faithful.

The Pistons surprised many last year by reaching the NBA playoffs for the first time in six seasons and playing the highly favored New York Knicks in the first round. A big part of that resurgence has been the steady play of veteran offseason acquisitions like sharpshooter Malik Beasley and former 76er forward Tobias Harris.

Harris joined Detroit in free agency as a culmination of the 76ers’ season-ending loss to the Knicks, a streak capped by his infamous scoreless Game 6 at home. For Philly fans, it was a fitting end to his time with the franchise.

Pistons fans learn with Tobias Harris what the 76ers have known for years

Despite being a solid veteran for the 76ers in his six seasons in Philadelphia, fans became frustrated with Harris’ performance compared to the superstar-level contract he had. Harris came over from the Clippers as a 20-point-per-game guy, but never reached that mark again in Philadelphia. His unwillingness to reliably shoot threes, coupled with his tendency to disappear in big moments like the aforementioned Game 6, drove fans, including myself, crazy.

Oh, and he somehow never took the lead in the 378 games he played in a 76ers uniform, as one fan noted here:

Now it appears Detroit fans are starting to experience the same frustration.

Tobias has not had a good start to the year. Harris is averaging just 11.8 points per game so far and shooting a putrid 31.6 percent from three and 40.7 percent from the field overall. Harris is paid like a quality starter, but his performance thus far is reminiscent of a mediocre role player.

Things went from bad to worse against the Cavaliers on Monday night, with what was perhaps Harris’ worst game of the young season after the loss to the Pistons. Despite starting the match, Tobias ultimately contributed just 18 minutes after committing a team-high five foul. While on the field, he had a negative impact, going just 2-8 from the field for 10 points and finishing -18, which was the worst mark among Detroit’s starters.

And plays like this, I’m sure Detroit Pistons fans are shaking their heads.

The season is still young, but for now, Detroit fans are getting a crash course in what 76ers fans have known for years: that the Tobias Harris experience brings more frustration than celebration.