From James Harden remaining firm on finding a new home to Joel Embiid dishing out a worrisome statement about his future with the franchise, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to be at the crux of the rumor mill. Whether either of those scenarios materialize remains to be seen, but what’s becoming clear is that the front office has to be mindful of what the future holds for the team more than ever before.
As things currently stand, Philadelphia has a rather thin group of young prospects with Tyrese Maxey leading the way. While that’s typically the case for teams doubling down on winning now, the Sixers’ recent bumps is beginning to make investing for the future a necessary endeavor.
The Philadelphia 76ers have to start investing for the future
Snagging young and potentially foundational pieces is no easy task for any front office, especially with more teams now protective of their young cores as a safeguard to the influx of player movement in the league recently. The latter is already impending for the 76ers, and to rid themselves of the threat of enduring another lengthy process, securing the team beyond its current timeline should be a focal point moving forward.
With that taken into account, let’s examine one trade proposal that could net the franchise a young piece to build on as they capitalize on the waning tenure of one of their top players who’s garnering some interest on the market.
The 76ers get a new young cornerstone in this four-team blockbuster trade
"Miami Heat Receive: PG Damian Lillard, PF Marcus Morris Sr. LA Clippers Receive: G James Harden, PF P.J. Tucker Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Tyler Herro, F Caleb Martin, F Robert Covington, 2028 and 2029 second-round picks (via Miami Heat) Portland Trail Blazers Receive: 2027 and 2029 unprotected first-round picks (via Miami Heat), 2028 and 2030 unprotected first-round picks (via Los Angeles Clippers), PG Kyle Lowry, F Nic Batum, F Nikola Jović, PF Kobe Brown, SG Amir Coffey, PG Jason Preston"
In this proposed deal, the Philadelphia 76ers receive Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, and two second-round picks from the Miami Heat and reunite with Clippers forward and former Sixer Robert Covington. The Sixers clearly get younger here while maintaining the talent needed to compete now.
Meanwhile, the outgoing assets include veterans James Harden and PJ Tucker, which are LA-bound in this proposal. Harden, who is openly coveted by the Clippers, gets to go to his preferred destination while Tucker continues his title hunt with the star-studded squad.
Now, does this trade move the needle for Philly?
Should the 76ers move on from James Harden for Tyler Herro?
Let’s get this out of the way — James Harden has already played his last game for Philadelphia in May and barring a drastic turn of events, that’s not about to change anytime soon. The 76ers, despite clearly having the leverage due to the former MVP’s contractual set-up, shall and will definitely try to extract as much assets as they possibly can in return.
Sure, a switcheroo between Herro, Martin, Covington, and two future second-rounders for the league’s best playmaker in Harden and a coveted role player like Tucker is an immediate step back for Philly’s ambitions next season. However, it is undeniably a tremendous step forward in sustainability while still giving Embiid and co. the necessary pieces to compete now.
Interspersed in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, Portland’s dissatisfaction with Herro as the central piece as a return has macerated his perception around the league. Make no mistake though — Herro, when healthy, is a bona fide and efficient three-level scorer with some playmaking chops to boot. His only real weaknesses are availability and his exploitable defense.
Martin, on the other hand, is essentially a younger and less robust PJ Tucker but with the same defensive intensity, better all-around game, and much more gas left in the tank. Covington is also a welcome addition as an experienced veteran who can provide stability and switchability for the 76ers on the defensive end.
Rounded out, this incoming return should be alluring for the 76ers in the long run.
Why this deal makes little sense for Philadelphia
For all the merits this deal brings to Philly in the long-run, the immediate step back could have more heft than expected. The 76ers are obviously and structurally aiming to win now, and forcing Joel Embiid to brave through another year (or two) of the team brewing its chemistry with new pieces could eventually be a turn-off, especially in light of the franchise’s lack of meaningful success so far.
In addition, Herro is essentially Tyrese Maxey with more weaknesses to his game. For a franchise willing to hand over the keys to the latter, it’s difficult to envision them salivating at the prospect of giving him a running mate who cannot set the table for him and won’t be as conducive to his growth.
Even if the 76ers aim to recoup some assets for the future, they can arguably get much more than just two second-rounders by engaging in more direct deals. In effect, hinging all efforts to net Herro as a means to enrich the timeline beyond the current one may not be as far-sighted as it seems.
Ultimately, a trade such as this should be approached by the Philadelphia 76ers brass with guarded curiosity at most. Even for an expiring contract like Harden, his very stature could easily net them much more, especially in the draft capital department.
Grade: B