Philadelphia 76ers: Debunking popular Al Horford trade hypotheticals

The Philadelphia 76ers probably want to trade Al Horford. I’m here to spoil the trade machine fun.

The Philadelphia 76ers made a mistake signing Al Horford last summer. You’ve heard that before, no long spiel required. The Sixers will presumably look to undo that mistake this offseason. A lot of teams have been thrust into the trade machine next to Philadelphia. Here’s why none of that probably matters.

Is a Horford trade possible? Of course. Stranger things have happened. With enough creativity and some determination, the Sixers can probably find a new home for Horford. The question then becomes: what is the cost? It could very well be too much.

The Sixers are in win-now mode, but aren’t equipped to win now. At least not to win enough now. The Sixers should willingly part with some assets to improve the roster, but with no cap space in the near future, the Sixers cannot trade every asset. The draft is essentially Philadelphia’s only affordable, meaningful talent pipeline until a reset button is hit.

So, what if no team wants Horford? That’s a possibility the Sixers need to prepare for. In fact, it’s a high-probability outcome. While not as bad as Tobias Harris’ contract, Horford’s contract is still ugly. Most teams, regardless of competitive status, will try to steer clear. The Sixers have no leverage, and last season didn’t inspire confidence in any front office. I promise.

Here are the teams most commonly tied to Horford, and why odds are, none of them will try to trade for him — or even accept a strong, desperate offer from Philadelphia.