Previewing Sixers-Pistons with Eric Vincent

Following a pair of days off, the 1-2 Sixers return home for a Wednesday night contest against a Detroit Pistons team featuring a pair of very familiar faces.

To check on old friends Tobias Harris and Paul Reed and take the temperature of a revamped Pistons organization, let’s chat with Eric Vincent, who covers the team for ClutchPoints.

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Adam Aaronson: The Pistons added two members of last year’s Sixers as they try to accelerate their rebuild. Let’s start with Tobias Harris: what do the Pistons hope to get out of Harris, and what do you believe he needs to do for the signing to be successful?

Eric Vincent: Building around Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and the rest of Detroit’s young core is the franchise’s top priority. The Pistons have desperately needed veteran experience, spacing, and shooting to help complement their developing talent. Acquiring Harris was the first step in addressing those needs.

This team’s frontcourt has been limited in athleticism and versatile scoring. Harris’ multidimensional scoring should be useful for the Pistons’ offense right away. There have even been flashes of improved defense in the preseason by Harris. Detroit needed another creative scorer to relieve some of the offensive responsibility on Cunningham and Ivey. The shooting prowess and creative shot-making ability of Harris is a perfect fit on this roster.

Harris is respectfully in a more suitable situation in Detroit compared to Philadelphia. The franchise’s expectations are different and his salary is vastly lower as well. He should thrive in the new leadership role in his return to the Pistons.

AA: Detroit also claimed Paul Reed when the Sixers were forced to waive him in order to sign Caleb Martin. What will Reed need to do to stand out in a Pistons frontcourt crowded with young players?

EV: Reed is another veteran acquisition by Detroit that could play an intriguing role this season. Last season’s frontcourt depth had the Pistons playing players in new roles like Isaiah Stewart as a stretch-four spot-up shooter. They also relied on often-injured players like Marvin Bagley and James Wiseman who were still developing as NBA players.

Reed has a more polished offensive game with the ability to put the ball on the floor and create his own looks. He should have plenty of opportunities to show his skills off the bench when the second unit needs to put up points. Reed’s game fits seamlessly next to the majority of his new teammates in Detroit.

AA: After posting a league-worst 14-68 record last season, the Pistons are making an aggressive push to be more competitive moving forward. But in your eyes, what would represent a successful season for the Pistons in 2024-25?

EV: Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon and head coach JB Bickerstaff have preached the emphasis of not rushing this team’s development. While taking time to grow a young roster is important, Detroit is not in a position where they can afford another season of finishing as a bottom-five team in the NBA.

The Pistons should have one of two goals to reach for in the 2024-25 season: they should aim to finish with about 30 wins or end the season as close as possible to the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even with the conference getting stronger, there are still some regressing teams who the Pistons could be better than as soon as this season.