Sixers mailbag: What’s next after James Harden trade?

Sixers mailbag: What’s a realistic Lou Williams trade?

This is tricky for a number of reasons. Lou Williams’ days are numbered in LA, but frankly, I’m not sure Philadelphia is the right landing spot. He’s a gifted halfcourt scorer and Doc Rivers would certainly find minutes for him, but Williams’ skill set overlaps a little too much with Maxey and Milton.

The Sixers still need an elite backcourt creator to maximize their roster, but thrusting Williams into sixth man minutes is not the proper solution. Williams is a defensive liability, and frankly, he’s not too much of an upgrade over Milton and Maxey offensively. All three could find minutes, but Philadelphia would be wise to lean on Milton’s efficiency and Maxey’s youth.

Williams struggled in the Bubble playoffs, and at 34 years old, the diminutive scoring guard probably won’t get better in that respect. Doc Rivers’ stubbornness and inability to move away from Williams in the playoffs didn’t reflect too kindly on the Sixers’ new coach, either. It’s best to led old habits die hard and not give Rivers the chance to repeat past mistakes.

That said, would I endorse a Williams trade for the right price? Yes. It would have to be fairly minimal, though — Mike Scott, Tony Bradley, and a second-round pick or two. The Sixers shouldn’t sacrifice any real assets. The Clippers can probably find better offers from a more desperate contender, and with LA in win-now mode, the Clippers would probably want a real rotation piece in return. I’m not sure Scott fits that description.