Sitting out of the playoff picture for the first time all year, the Detroit Pistons used some of next year’s cap space this year and are making a full playoff push by acquiring Tobias Harris for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova. Harris will add much needed scoring punch for the Pistons.

At times, when Reggie Jackson playing well, the Pistons have struggled to generate offense. They can’t get easy baskets often enough. Also, with injuries to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks, the Pistons have a major need at the wing position. Harris will fill that need.

Detroit will likely roll with a starting lineup of Andre Drummond, Marcus Morris, Tobias Harris, Stanley Johnson and Reggie Jackson, at least until Caldwell-Pope returns from injury. That group offers a nice mix of offense and defense. Morris can continue to play the poor man’s Draymond Green role as a facilitator from the PF postion, Johnson can focus on defense and Harris can add scoring alongside Reggie Jackson.

The Pistons did dip into this summer’s cap space to the tune of $17.2 million. But Harris’ deal declines the two following years down to $16 million and ending at $14.8 million. Even if all Harris offers is 13-15 points per game, that is solid return on value for Detroit.

Grade for Pistons: B+

The Magic had to do something. The current mix of players on the roster offered too much duplication and too little in the way of results. Tobias Harris in a lot of ways was the easiest player to move. He overlaps at PF/SF with Aaron Gordon, who is younger and on a Rookie Scale deal for a few more years. He overlaps at SF with Evan Fournier and Mario Hezonja, who are both cheaper and better shooters. Harris signed the big contract and the Magic had hopes he would blossom into the team leader they needed. Instead, he often floated through games. You would regularly look up and he would have 18-20 points and you would wonder how he got them. Rarely did he seem to provide those impact plays that teams need.

Brandon Jennings can either start at point guard or become Elfrid Payton's backup, but it gives the Magic a different look. Payton hasn’t developed offensively the way that Orlando would have hoped. His shooting is still far off what it needs to be. With the lack of spacing the offense provides at times, he has struggled getting in to the paint to make plays for himself or his teammates. Jennings should provide better balance as a shooter who needs to be respected from behind the line.

Ilyasova is also a nice fit as a rebounder and shooter next to Aaron Gordon, who is now obviously the franchise forward of the future.

The Magic have potentially cleared up the cap significantly this summer and beyond. Jennings is an expiring contract and Ilyasova is only guaranteed for $400,000.00 next season.

Overall, Orlando may have been able to do better, and many will think this return is too light, but sometimes being the first to act can pay off. It frees up opportunity to make other moves in the next couple of days as well. The Magic have added a layer of flexibility to go out and make further changes this year or this summer. And there is a growing feeling around the league that this is just the start of things for Orlando.

Grade for Magic: B