The 2025 NBA offseason has forced all 30 teams to say goodbye to various veterans, and the Detroit Pistons aren't an exception. The wave of early summertime moves saw the Pistons' backcourt take a hit, as Dennis Schroder left to join the Sacramento Kings while Tim Hardaway Jr. signed a new contract with the Denver Nuggets (and that's without mentioning Malik Beasley's off-court drama).
Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson have since been brought in to replace the aforementioned duo, and as great as they are, Pistons fans will miss Schroder and Hardaway no matter what. As it turns out, one of Detroit's departures certainly sounds like he's going to miss the Motor City faithful, too, judging by his first post-exit comments.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Shows Pistons Love in 1st Post-Exit Comments
On Thursday, Hardaway (and new Nuggets teammate Cam Johnson) appeared on the "Young Man & The Three" podcast to discuss his 2025 offseason experience. The ex-Pistons sharpshooter spoke about his time in Detroit during the interview, which included plenty of praise for the passionate fan base.
"People don't know Detroit unless you actually play in Detroit, you know," Hardaway said about people who hate on the Motor City as a destination. "Those fans and those people there... They have that grit, they have that tenacity, they have that fire inside them that instills in all their you know their sports."
"Being able to feed off (the fans), and go out there and embrace that energy... I really do feel like that's what propelled us and helped us."
After moving across the country, it's great to see that Hardaway's lone season in Detroit holds a special place in his heart. The former 2013 first-round pick is under no obligation to stand up for the Pistons now that he's joined the Nuggets, so the fact that he had a ton of praise for Detroit fans says a lot about his character.
The Pistons have some of the most passionate fans in the NBA, but it isn't a secret that they haven't always been a top basketball destination. Detroit went without a playoff appearance in five consecutive years before the 2024-25 playoff berth; however, that didn't stop Hardaway from rolling the dice on a one-year contract last summer.
It turns out joining the Pistons was a good call for Hardaway. He averaged 11.0 points on .406/.368/855 splits while starting in all 77 of his regular-season appearances, all while sharing as much of his experience with Detroit's up-and-coming core. His postseason performance was forgettable, to say the least, but that won't stop fans from remembering him.
Hopefully, Hardaway experiences plenty of success in his new surroundings. It'll be interesting to see how Pistons fans will welcome him back whenever the Nuggets visit Little Caesars Arena during the 2025-26 NBA season.