The Philadelphia 76ers will be star hunting this summer. It's obvious.
Anyone who knows Daryl Morey knows he can't help himself when it comes to chasing stars.
He traded Ben Simmons for James Harden and saw the team come within a game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Then came the drama between Morey and Harden, which mirrored the Ben Simmons saga, except it was amplified.
3 potential trade scenarios for the Sixers this summer
Harden tends to get his way when it comes to these situations, so the Sixers moved him to the LA Clippers, his desired destination. Tyrese Maxey has morphed into a young star, which has helped the Sixers remain in the top tier of the East, in spite of Joel Embiid's injury.
But when the summer rolls around, they'll need to find another co-star to pair with Embiid and Maxey. Which is why they shot their shot at LeBron James at the deadline, even though it was never going to amount to anything.
Let's take a look at three players who could be trade targets for Philly in the offseason.
3. Damian Lillard
Daryl Morey has long coveted Damian Lillard. He pursued him several times last offseason alone.
Part of this could've been to prevent the Miami Heat from getting stronger, which was Lillard's preferred destination for seemingly ages. The Portland Trail Blazers ultimately dealt Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, which was the epitome of a petty move.
Lillard has had another stellar season, but his scoring is down. His 24.4 points is much lower than what we've grown accustomed to seeing.
Granted, this was expected with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fold, but Dame's shooting has also been much worse, as he's shooting just 34.6 percent from deep and 42.4 percent from the field.
He's admittedly had a tough time off the court, citing boredom as a significant challenge in Milwaukee. If the Bucks flame out in the postseason, which is a significant possibility with Doc Rivers at the helm, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Bucks shop him in the summer.
In this case, the Sixers would be wise to pounce.
2. Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks have been in a bit of a tailspin, as it pertains to their backcourt. On the one hand, it seems the best move would be building around Trae Young, the three-time All-Star who has led the league in assists on numerous occasions.
Not to mention leading the league in points and assists in the same season. Young hasn't had much postseason success, outside of the 2021 postseason run, which came at the Philadelphia 76ers' expense.
The Hawks have made several coaching changes, in hopes of identifying a better match for Young. To no avail.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder isn't quite the best match for Young, who is a liability on the defensive end. In fact, Snyder has reportedly prioritized Dejounte Murray over Young, which is likely because of Murray's two-way ability.
Young's playmaking ability would be perfect for Embiid, who the Sixers are surely worried about losing, especially after his comments in the offseason.
“I just want to win a championship… Whatever it takes,” said the Sixers center. “I don’t know where that’s going to be, whether in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one, and then you think about the next one. It’s not easy. It takes more than one, two, three guys. You got to have good people around you. Myself, every single day, I work hard to be at that level so I can produce and make it happen. Every single day I’m working towards that goal.”
1. Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell was the belle of the ball in the 2022 offseason, as several Eastern Conference teams pursued him, most notably the New York Knicks. However, the Knicks' chances of landing him came to a screeching halt after the team agreed to terms with RJ Barrett on an extension.
Which paved the way for the Cleveland Cavaliers to step in and swoop him. However, Mitchell's last guaranteed year is next season, as his contract holds a player option in 2025-26.
There's no reason for him to opt into that season. He'll surely be opting out for a longer deal.
And it's not like he's seen a profound level of postseason success in Cleveland. In fact, last season saw the Cavs get eliminated in the first-round, by way of a gentleman's sweep.
And the Cavs aren't viewed as a viable threat to make it out of the Eastern Conference. Truthfully, it would be surprising if they even reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavs' will be forced to consider moving Mitchell this summer, or risking the possibility of seeing him walk in 2025, in which case they wouldn't receive anything. Morey and the Sixers' brass should be all over this situation.