Responding to speculation that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey may welcome the opportunity to tear down and rebuild the roster, Marc Stein expresses skepticism (Substack link), observing that Morey has never displayed an appetite for a rebuild during his time as a head basketball operations executive.
If the Sixers do end up moving James Harden for a package that’s heavier on draft assets than win-now players, Stein anticipates the club will look to flip those picks for another top-level player.
Philadelphia’s ultimate goal, according to Stein, is to supplement its Joel Embiid/Tyrese Maxey duo with another star. Ideally, a Harden trade would net that sort of star or open up a path to land one, but the 76ers are also preserving cap flexibility for 2024, which could create another opportunity to pursue an impact player.
Here’s more on Harden and the Sixers:
- The worst-case scenario for the 76ers would be if the ongoing Harden situation becomes ugly enough to result in an Embiid trade request. Embiid isn’t at that point, according to Stein, but some sources who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com believe Philadelphia needs to proceed with caution in order to ensure Embiid remains happy.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac takes an in-depth look at Harden’s stand-off with the Sixers, including how his contract situation factors into the equation and what sort of solution might resolve what has become an increasingly tense “staring contest.”
- Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer takes stock of where things stand between the Sixers and Harden, noting that it’s good news for the team that the NBA’s latest investigation apparently turned up no indications of a cap-circumventing handshake deal between the two sides when the veteran free agent guard reached free agency a year ago. Mizell also considers which Sixers players will take on more ball-handling responsibilities if Harden has played his last game for the team.
I know there are a lot of LeBron haters but one thing you gotta say about the guy is he has had the foresight to only sign contracts for how long he wants to be somewhere. Sure he’s jumped around but only as a FA.
Also, how many of these forced trades actually end up working out for the player? Didn’t work for Harden (twice). Didn’t work out for Paul George. Has worked for Anthony Davis, but outside of him I’m struggling to figure out a situation in which a player forced his way out to a singular team and then they had success.
Didn’t work for Kyrie either, twice. Or Melo. About the only other example I can think of is Shaq forcing his way off the Lakers to the Heat. Kawahi doesn’t count because he was trying to go to LA and ended up in Toronto instead.
If your definition of a forced trade working out is only if you win championships then they worked out well for Kareem, Chamberlain, Kidd, Monroe, Kobe, Drexler, Leonard and Shaq. While CP3, Webber, Carter and Butler haven’t or didn’t win a championship after forcing a trade they all had successful careers after being traded.
Kobe shouldn’t count cause he was a draft day trade and never suited up for any team but the lakers
Davis only got his title cause covid paused the season. Lakers ring should have a bubble asterisk
The bubble asterisk because that Lakers championship was one of the hardest championships to win. No home court advantage, everyone rested from the arduous grind of the regular season, everyone on equal footing?
No fans made home court completely irrelevant and that rest is the only reason they won it
So it’s basically a g league Mickey Mouse bubble ring? Nobody had home court advantage.. Did you even watch? Looked like a bunch up nba pick up games
Thanks for the ignorant comment KC Smoke. Why you commenting if you don’t understand basketball
I do and that bubble title was bull and should have an asterisk. Sorry your lakers fans and won’t get a real title for decades probably with no picks and 2 old injury prone stars.
The 2021 Bucks title doesn’t count! The season was shorter! Neither does the 1999 Spurs title! It was a lockout season! The Rockets two titles in ’94 and ’95 don’t count because they didn’t have to face MJ! Neither does the Raptors 2019 title! KD and Klay were injured! [/sarcasm]
You can do this crap for any title in NBA history. And it’s always nonsense. A title is a title. Only haters talk like that.
Another ignorant and regurgitated take. It counts. Get over it. Grow up and shut up.
So people must not like you at all either. Yes it counts (applause) have another celebration for losing to the champion last year if you want.
Seems like you are the one being called out by multiple for your ignorance not me. “It doesn’t count because I didn’t want it to happen and it hurt my poor feelings” you realize that makes you sound like a 3 year old right?
Harden was traded where he wanted to be traded both times he asked out. That those locations didn’t work out is irrelevant.
Barkley enhanced the Suns.
Harden trade value won’t result in draft picks that are worthy of starting a rebuild. And honestly I don’t think Harden makes that big of a difference on the 76ers season, they can win 50-55 games and win a playoff series or two without him, as long as Embiid is healthy.
I agree with most of this, and want to agree with all of it…but it’s been a long time since the sixers won 2 playoff series. With or without Harden (or adequate compensation) it’ll take a lot of focus, luck/health and a magical ride from Nurse to accomplish that. I wanna agree, but it’s a big ask.
Also, the Sixers have a losing record without Embiid in basically every year since his debut. Last season was the first time they performed fine without him (11-5).
Can’t wait till Harden and Morey are out of the league, shouldn’t be too much longer.
Morey isn’t going anywhere. Harden will be a vagabond playing on prove its as he winds down a disappointing and sometimes ugly looking career.
A first ballot hall of famer? Pretty great looking career
Another Monty…
Shhh!! They don’t like it when people point out that guys they don’t like like Harden are very good basketball players.
All there is going to be is speculation with the Sixers until something happens
Most of the trade suggestions have sucked
Although, if the Sixers get Zaca LaVine from the Bulls that would be stylish and a stylish backcourt I could go for that, but other than that
I think most Sixers fans are onto 24-25.
Looking ahead, I see them dumping PJ Tucker at the deadline to a Top-4 seed in either conference. If they can do so and get a 2nd, great.
I see Nurse maybe trying to salvage Furkan, House, and Springer to get some kind of production from those 3.
In the offseason, target Siakam, OG, DeRozan, Tobias on a much cheaper deal, maybe take a run at Kawhi/PG13, look into Klay, Miles Bridges. They need a 3, which has been a hole for a long time.
This year is more of a build up Maxey, deal with Jill Harden and move on with life type of year.