The untradable Harris: Other options over Harris?
Who does the screaming public prefer over Harris in trades? There are a lot of names, and the trades where the sixers get back wings but no big forwards make no sense because there is no one currently on the team who is good enough to start for the Sixers at the 4.
The power forward position in today’s game looks like a larger small forward, but they still need to be big and strong enough to bang with the bigger fours, while quick enough to guard smaller threes. The list of guys is smaller than you think.
Let’s look at the most realistic names most commonly suggested:
- Harrison Barnes – He’s an underrated talent and he would fit here like a glove. If you want a 3-and-D power forward who isn’t allergic to rebounding, he is probably the best tradeoff for Harris. But fair or not, he has been often injured and fails the durability test. Over the last five seasons, he has averaged 56.8 games played per year. Yuck, the Philadelphia 76ers can do better.
- Bojan Bogdanovich – Similar offensive player, worse defender, and rebounder. Nah.
- Miles Bridges – Even before all of the awful legal issues this trade was problematic. Someone was certainly going to pay him in the neighborhood of $25 million or more, for four or five years, and Harris’ deal is off the books in two years. If you look at highlights, Bridges looked like a stud, but if you compare their statistics they are very similar. Now with the arrest, forget it.
- Gordon Hayward – Good guy, often injured, better shooter, worse defender, and rebounder. No thank you.
- TJ Warren – This has been a popular one because his scoring style feels so similar to Harris’ but he was making so much less money with the Brooklyn Nets. The reality is that he is wildly streaky, and a worse defender, passer, and rebounder. Pass.