No matter what happens this season for the Philadelphia 76ers, the front office has to seriously consider going for some roster turnover. This team, as currently constructed, is nowhere near close to actual contention. The talent is there, but the balance on this squad remains iffy on some areas, especially at the forward positions.
To that effect, one player they should look into acquiring this offseason is Tari Eason. With what cap space?! Well, the 76ers actually have the necessary ammo to lure the Rockets into a potential sign-and-trade situation, and with Houston lowkey fumbling their case for the championship this season, it might be time for them to re-tool their roster anew around their stars.
Eason, who was promoted to being a full-time starter this season, packs a lot of promise as a three-and-D forward whose skill set allows for a lot of malleability on both ends. He is of the archetype the 76ers badly need, and the timing could not be any better for Philly’s brain trust to lay the groundwork for a possible chase this summer.
The 76ers should target Tari Eason from the Rockets this offseason
Eason will not be an inexpensive commodity at all this summer when he hits the open market. For now, the expectation is that the Rockets will do everything they can in their power to keep him in the fold, but with such an expensive roster that only stands to get more costly, the young forward might actually not be as high on their priority list as people expected.
The 24-year-old is one of the most disruptive defenders in the league, but the Rockets simply do not have the kind of personnel that can help him expand his game, especially on the offensive end. After a hot start to the season from beyond the arc, Eason has mightily struggled with his shot, and a huge part of the reason why is that Houston has made life much tougher for him on the scoring department.
The 76ers have a couple of salaries they can consolidate to lure the Rockets into a trade (i.e., the prospective deal of Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre, for starters). The financial gymnastics required will be quite tricky, but a possible partnership for both camps appear to be a sensible one from a basketball perspective.
The forward position has been unstable for the 76ers, and with Tari Eason, they should be able to snag that much needed flavor of balance and size, which will help them out a lot especially on the defensive end.