Tobias

Harris

Harris is starting to figure things out in Detroit. He had his best game of the season, setting a new season-high for both scoring and 3-pointers. Harris has been a solid player in 9-cat leagues for a while because of his well-rounded production, but his numbers have been slightly down early on this year. Hopefully this is a performance that will get him going. His next opportunity will be in Orlando on Saturday, which is a game that could be played without Cade Cunningham (hip), which could result in more shots for Harris.

The double-double was Harris’ second of the season. While he continues to post solid rebounding efforts this year, his offensive game has left much to be desired. Harris has scored at least 20 points only once this season on a Pistons team that is desperate for scoring. He’ll get another chance to have a better offensive showing against the Wizards on Sunday.

The good news for managers who have Harris rostered is that he provided solid rebounding and defensive value on Sunday. The bad news was that he didn’t do much offensively, attempting five shots from the field and shooting 2-of-5 from the foul line (one miss was intentional). Harris is ranked just outside the top 75 in 9-cat formats, so managers don’t have too much to worry about. But the occasional quiet scoring night will happen, especially with much of the offense running through Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Harris hasn’t been much of a factor so far this season. This was his first game of the year where he eclipsed 20 points. He had been struggling mightily from behind the 3-point line, but knocked down 5-of-8 from downtown on Friday. Maybe it’s the start of a strong shooting stretch for Harris. Either way, he’ll continue to play at least 30 minutes a night while seeing a good amount of usage on a Pistons team searching for options around Cade Cunningham. Detroit takes on the Rockets on Sunday.

Harris has started to turn things around after beginning the season in a slump. He’s scored 13 points or more in three straight, most recently matching his season-high with 18 points on Sunday. Harris heads into Week 3 as a top 100 player regarding per-game fantasy value, and that status should improve as the season progresses. Detroit plays four games next week, beginning with the Lakers on Monday.

Harris failed to crack double digits in field goal attempts for the second time this season, but he still had a solid night regarding overall fantasy value. The Pistons forward recorded one steal and three blocks, the fourth time this season he’s accounted for at least one steal and one block in the same game. Harris sits just outside the top 50 in per-game fantasy value, which aligns with where many managers expected him to be at draft time.

Friday’s game was Harris’ first since rejoining the Pistons in free agency this summer, and he showed why Detroit was so eager to bring him back. Despite missing time due to COVID-19, the veteran forward looked sharp offensively and did not appear to show any ill effects regarding stamina. Playing in Detroit may not get Harris closer to an NBA title, but it’s likely to boost his fantasy value. Don’t be surprised if he ends the season as a top-50 fantasy player.

Signed by the Pistons this summer, Harris has yet to appear in his second stint with the franchise. A case of COVID-19 sidelined the veteran forward, but he’s feeling better and could be in the lineup for Friday’s game against Phoenix. A healthy Harris can threaten top-50 fantasy status, even if his game isn’t considered “eye-popping.” He’ll be asked to help lead a young team in a significant rebuild in Detroit.

Harris’ time in Philly has officially come to a close, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Harris returns to Detroit, which is where he played from 2016-18. He’ll provide them with a veteran floor spacer that can create his own shot as they look to shift the culture to a winning organization under J.B. Bickerstaff. He should slot in as the team’s starting power forward.

After performing well in the 76ers’ Game 5 overtime victory, Harris was brutal in Game 6. He only attempted two shots, finishing with a team-worst minus-10 rating. Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his nearly $46 million coming off the books gives Philadelphia room to strengthen the roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (who’s a restricted free agent). While Harris can offer top-60 fantasy value, he falls in a place where managers tend to reach for players with higher upsides. His ceiling next season will depend on where he lands; joining a non-contender where he can be a marquee option would boost his value.