Can the Philadelphia 76ers find trade partners after missing out on James Harden?
The Philadelphia 76ers went fishing for a superstar and came up empty in James Harden negotiations. While that will undeniably set the franchise back, Daryl Morey will still surf the trade market in search of ways to improve the roster around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
This article will focus on trades not involving Simmons, although the case for jettisoning Philadelphia’s All-Star guard is growing. Morey is in the unenviable position of needing to maximize Joel Embiid’s prime without totally mortgaging the future. Few players are worth emptying the entire clip, so to speak, and one of them just slipped through Morey’s hands.
Here are a few suggestions to help him out.
Sixers trade hypothetical #1
- PHI gets: George Hill, Hamidou Diallo
- OKC gets: Mike Scott, Matisse Thybulle, 2022 PHI 2RP
George Hill has started slow in OKC, which is not uncommon with aging players in undesirable situations. Hill is essentially waiting for a trade, with OKC unlikely to keep the 34-year-old past the trade deadline. OKC is rebuilding, and giving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander even greater control of the offense is not a bad course of action.
For Philadelphia, there’s obvious appeal with Hill — a solid two-way guard who can efficiently create for teammates and shoot the 3-ball. Hill is not far removed from a successful stretch in Milwaukee, where he contributed important minutes for a top-seeded contender. The Sixers would have no trouble finding minutes for Hill, even with Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey on the roster.
The incentive for OKC is Matisse Thybulle, whose defensive predisposition and jumpy athleticism fits the Thunder’s scouting department like a glove. The Sixers would do well to push for another young project like Hamidou Diallo, who is averaging 11.3 points in 20.4 minutes per game this season, but there’s a chance OKC simply asks for Thybulle (plus Scott, as salary filler) in a 2-for-1 trade.
Sixers trade hypothetical #2
- PHI gets: Davis Bertans, Anthony Gill
- WAS gets: Mike Scott, Matisse Thybulle, Terrance Ferguson, 2021 PHI 1RP
The Wizards coughed up a five-year, $80 million contract for Davis Bertans last offseason. While he is clearly valued in Washington, the Wizards are getting closer and closer to hitting the reset button. Cap flexibility and young talent could tempt them enough to move the Latvian flamethrower.
Bertans is one of the best shooters in basketball. He’s 6-foot-10 with the shot versatility of J.J. Redick — flying around screens, drilling step-backs, or just camping out in the corner. Bertans needs only the slightest airspace to get his shot off, and he has a quicker trigger than anyone on the Sixers’ roster. He would earn his money, even as part of the second unit. Last season, Bertans averaged 15.4 points while shooting 43.4 percent on 8.7 3-point attempts per game.
This season has reaffirmed the baseline for success when Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are surrounded by high-level shooters. Bertans kicks it up another notch, and is a significant boost over anything Mike Scott or Matisse Thybulle are offering at this point. The only long-term money for Washington is Thybulle, who can help with the seemingly inevitable youth movement.
To sweeten the pot, Washington also gets Philadelphia’s first-round pick, which is likely to fall in the 20s. This is logical for both sides, but only if the Wizards commit to a youth movement. For as long as the Wizards try to make Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook work, Bertans will probably remain in D.C.
Sixers trade hypothetical #3
- PHI gets: Kelly Oubre Jr., Mychal Mulder
- GSW gets: Mike Scott, Matisse Thybulle, Terrance Ferguson, 2021 NYK 2RP
Klay Thompson’s torn Achilles prompted Golden State to use a trade exception on Kelly Oubre, despite severe tax penalties. Oubre’s Warriors career has started on a sour note. He’s averaging 12.0 points, but attempting 12.4 shots per game to get there. He’s shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from 3-point range, any semblance of rhythm absent from his game.
The Warriors likely expect Oubre to find his groove at some point, but he’s on an expiring contract and not exactly boosting his trade stock. The Sixers should try to buy low. The Warriors are trying to contend — keyword: trying — but can probably get away with starting Damion Lee.
Philadelphia would benefit from Oubre’s hard-nosed defense and microwave scoring in the second unit. He is a bundle of energy, and if I had to guess, would be quick to establish a fun-loving rapport with Joel Embiid. Oubre has a knack for momentum-swinging plays, and Philadelphia needs to maximize both depth and talent around Joel Embiid this season.
Re-signing Oubre would get tricky, but he’s worth Thybulle — a player who serves little purpose in Philadelphia right now. The Sixers would also give up the Knicks’ second-round pick, which is likely to end up in the 30s. The Warriors get a young wing who doesn’t need the ball (to say it politely) and draft compensation, along with two expiring contracts. That should pique their interest.
Sixers trade hypothetical #4
- PHI gets: P.J. Tucker
- HOU gets: Mike Scott, 2021 NYK 2RP, 2023 ATL/CHA/BKN 2RP, 2024 PHI 2RP
The minimum price for P.J. Tucker is likely a gaggle of second-round picks, a price the Sixers should happily pay. Philadelphia can absorb Tucker into one of its trade exceptions, but moving on from Scott — who plays the same position and would no longer have a spot in the rotation — would allow Philadelphia to use that exception elsewhere.
Tucker is a tough, versatile interior defender who can competently split time between the five, four, and three. He’s a corner 3 marksman, a winner, and has been the cornerstone of Houston’s culture over the years. Tucker is the kind of veteran presence that could benefit Embiid, Simmons, and Philadelphia’s younger pieces.
The Sixers’ second unit is short on defense, and while that’s not necessarily a critical area of need, Tucker would provide a sizable boost over Scott, who is still Rivers’ clearly preference for Philadelphia’s 10th roster spot. Tucker is smart, unselfish, and the kind of spot-up shooter Philadelphia’s offense is designed to take advantage of.
Houston gets the Knicks pick and a promising 2023 pick, both of which could land in the 30s. Plus Philadelphia’s 2024 second — far enough in the future to cast some level of doubt over the Sixers’ competitive status. The Sixers will undeniably have competition for Tucker, and Houston clearly resents Daryl Morey, but Philadelphia shouldn’t hesitate to place a call.
Sixers trade hypothetical #5
- PHI gets: Zach LaVine, Garrett Temple
- CHI gets: Danny Green, Matisse Thybulle, Tyrese Maxey, 2021 & 2023 PHI 1RP
So far this season, Zach LaVine is averaging a career-high 27.4 points and 5.3 assists per game. He is doing so on .640 true shooting percentage, by far the highest mark of the 25-year-old’s career. The sustainability of his efficiency is yet unseen, but it’s clear LaVine is one of the NBA’s premier shot-makers.
The Sixers still sorely lack an elite creator on the perimeter — someone who can generate offense from scratch. LaVine would comfortably fill that role. He has a reputation for hijacking possessions, but improved passing and decision-making this season seem to indicate a significant leap forward in LaVine’s stardom.
There’s no rush or pressure for Chicago to trade LaVine, if only to acknowledge of lack of direction in that franchise. The Sixers would need to spend a hefty price to get LaVine. If Ben Simmons is a no-go, Philadelphia would need to cough up both young talent and draft capital to even open the doors to a conversation.
Thybulle, two first-round picks, and Tyrese Maxey — already one of the best rookies in the NBA — feels hefty. But LaVine is bona fide, and if the Sixers want to pair him bad enough, it will take sacrifice. It might take even more than that. It’s then up to Morey to decipher whether LaVine increases Philadelphia’s competitive odds enough to justify such a trade.
A starting five of Zach LaVine, Seth Curry, Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid could do some damage. That much is certain.