Following some idle period for the Philadelphia 76ers on the slow-moving James Harden front, it seems like the front office is now starting to gain more traction to eventually getting a deal done. This particularly bodes well for the team as it would give them sufficient time to rightfully prepare for the season with training camp just around the corner.
However, there is no guarantee in these types of situations. While Harden and his camp have been adamant in zeroing in on the LA Clippers as their preferred destination, the 76ers are wise enough to venture out if their pulse says that a better offer could be coming in from another team. In that case, what was once seemingly inevitable may easily be glossed over.
The Philadelphia 76ers could still venture out in search of better offers for James Harden
If the Clippers — despite having re-engaged the Sixers toward completing a deal for Harden — continue to lowball Philly as in their previous rounds of negotiation, a surprise team could swoop the All-Star in and play the role of spoiler. Unfortunately for Harden, he has no leverage in this situation, as the new CBA rules prevent a player on an expiring contract from holding out and avoid being in uniform.
With the 76ers having complete leverage in this regard, a scenario where James Harden dons a different uniform aside from the Clippers next season is not impossible. In fact, here is one trade proposal that could ultimately push LA into sweetening the pot more and incentivize Philadelphia into finally agreeing to terms on a deal.
Brandon Ingram heads to the 76ers in this tempting trade proposal
In this trade proposal, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire All-Star forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans for James Harden, a first-round pick in 2030, and the right to swap first-rounders in 2029.
Ingram’s name was previously raised multiple times prior to the 2023 NBA Draft in rumors that the Pelicans tried to move up in hopes of snagging Scoot Henderson, the eventual third overall selection. However, those silently dried up and the 25-year-old is now currently preoccupied by his Team USA stint ahead of the FIBA World Championships.
That being said, with New Orleans currently in a state of flux due to uncertainty surrounding Zion Williamson, their franchise centerpiece, their front office could re-pivot to gauging the market for Ingram as it would give them the most straightforward route to extracting usable value in return for a retooling.
Nonetheless, how does this proposal move the needle for the Sixers?
The 76ers getting Ingram for Harden would allow the 76ers to win now and build
Brandon Ingram has been one of the better forwards in the league for quite some time already. Despite that, he’s still only 25 years old and his better, prime years should be ahead of him.
Last season, Ingram logged 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per contest for New Orleans, which narrowly missed the playoffs in large part due to injuries that kept him out for 37 games amid Zion Williamson already missing 53 outings. Still, Ingram emerged as a capable No. 1 option for the Pelicans, spearheading the team in scoring and playmaking on a nightly basis.
Hypothetically, Ingram would slide in seamlessly as the starting small forward for the 76ers, allowing Tobias Harris to move to his more natural position and carving out a prominent role without necessarily sapping valuable time on the ball from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Alas, he can also play the 4 and 2 at times, providing the ever-creative Nick Nurse with a malleable all-around player who can wear different hats when needed.
Still under contract for two more seasons, Ingram also offers some more insurance for the 76ers than James Harden while still giving the team the financial flexibility it needs to build the roster for the future.
Hence, even if Ingram doesn’t pan out, Philly can offer him in trades next offseason and opt to hunt for other big names that could fit their robust budget, especially if the manage to find a take for Ingram’s then-expiring deal.
Why an Ingram trade may not be the answer the 76ers are looking for
In all honesty, any potential turn-off from this trade proposal is very unlikely to arise out of the fact that Brandon Ingram is the centerpiece. If anything, the point of hesitation for the 76ers brass would be the draft capital they are supposed to send out in this deal.
An unprotected first-round pick seven years from now and a right to swap picks six years later may seem just the right price for a player of Ingram’s caliber, but they are equally risky additives on their own considering the massive value and insurance provided by first-round selections way beyond the current timeline.
For a franchise without much future-proofing as Philadelphia — notwithstanding Tyrese Maxey’s possible rise as a bona fide star — doubling down on winning now while shaving a huge chunk of their draft capital could be a suspended mistake later on.
Also, with the upcoming free agent class next year potentially giving the Sixers the star power they are desperate for, it could be even wiser to settle for less sterling returns instead that would not require the front office to mortgage the team’s future.
Ultimately, should the Pelicans tender an offer of the sorts for James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers could do much worse than acquire someone like Brandon Ingram, especially considering the overarched edict in the organization to win a championship as soon as possible to keep Joel Embiid content in Philly. However, there are definitely some concerns about the extent of the draft capital in this proposal worth pondering hard on.
Grade: A-