NBA: DeRozan, 10 Players Exceeding Expectations Early In 2016-17

NBA: 10 Players Exceeding Expectations Early In 2016-17

Nov 2, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97-81. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 30, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (34) dribbles the ball against Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) during the third quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons won 98-83. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Tobias Harris

Reggie Jackson‘s injury is holding the Detroit Pistons back from reaching their utmost potential, but there’s no question it’s been a blessing in disguise for Tobias Harris. As Detroit’s leader in scoring at 20.8 points per game, Harris has been unleashed through the first four games of the season.

In his 27 games with the Pistons last season, Harris reached the 20-point threshold just seven times. Through the first five games of the season, he’s already done it three times, shooting an unconscious 39-for-67 from the floor (58.2 percent) and 9-for-17 from deep (52.9 percent).

Will the three-point shooting last? Maybe not. Once Jackson returns, you can also expect Harris’ scoring numbers to go down, since Jackson is more a shoot-first point guard and Ish Smith is a pass-first guard playing at a faster tempo, which favors Harris.

In any case, the fact that NBA Twitter has even considered bringing Reggie off the bench as a sixth man speaks volumes about how well Harris (and Marcus Morris) have been playing alongside Smith. After years of waiting, the potential that the Orlando Magic gave up on is starting to materialize.