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After an extremely disappointing 2019-20 campaign, the Philadelphia 76ers have not stood still. Soon after the end of the season, they fired coach Brett Brown and replaced him with Doc Rivers. Weeks later, they added Daryl Morey as the new president of basketball operations after he parted ways with the Rockets. Now, with Morey calling the shots, the Sixers probably won’t be sticking around as far as the roster goes. Here’s a look at five big potential business goals for Philadelphia.
When it comes to big names in the NBA, they don’t get much bigger than James Harden. Harden is an eight-time All-Star and former MVP, and he’s still only 31. The Sixers are reportedly interested in trading for Harden, although there is no indication Houston would be willing to part ways with their franchise face. Philadelphia’s interest isn’t particularly surprising given the history between Harden and Morey, but it’s intriguing as Morey made it clear in his introductory press conference with the Sixers that he doesn’t necessarily plan to replicate the small ball style from Houston to Philadelphia.
“We were trying to build the best team around our talents in Houston,” said Morey, potentially referring to the little ball style in Philadelphia. “But here, Doc [Rivers] will take the talents we have and use them to the best of their ability … The goal is not to shoot 3 points. The goal is to win. You can score on the attack in different ways.
“I think the best way to win in the NBA is to take your talents and figure out how to best use them,” Morey added. “It’s not about taking your talent and driving it into a particular system. It’s about trying to make the most of what you have.”
A potential pursuit of Harden from Philadelphia is also interesting because, in order to acquire a player of Harden’s caliber, the Sixers would likely have to part ways with one of their two young All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. While Morey will certainly weigh all options, he and Doc Rivers have made it clear that they believe Embiid and Simmons’ duo can win at the highest level.
“My goal is to win a championship, so all that gets us there is what we’ll do,” said Morey. “I would say I have two star players aged 24 and 26 which is why I couldn’t get Doc Rivers to come to Houston because he saw that roster and he said it was amazing. Obviously I end up here a few weeks later, it’s pretty cool. ”
While anything is possible, a trade involving last season’s other three Philadelphia starters – Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Josh Richardson – is much more likely than a move involving Embiid or Simmons at this point. Philadelphia would be remiss to trade either of the young All-Stars without giving Rivers at least a single season to see what he could take from the duo.
The Philadelphia front office is said to have “seriously debated” the idea of suing Paul. From a basketball standpoint, Paul would make a lot of sense in Philadelphia, as he could serve as the perimeter playmaker and offensive initiator the team desperately needed as they were swept away in the first round by the Boston Celtics last season. Unlike Al Horford, who the Sixers signed on to a huge four-year contract last season, Paul’s skills dovetail with those of Philadelphia’s top two players, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and he could potentially be the piece needed to push the Sixers to the next level.
Acquiring Paul will be easier said than done for Philadelphia. The Sixers have virtually no financial flexibility, so they would have to shift at least one of their main cogs – and possibly a few draft picks – for the deal to work. General manager Elton Brand said the team is not looking to swap Embiid or Simmons, and Morey and Rivers echoed the post. That leaves only Horford, Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson for the Thunder to choose from in a return package. Horford, Richardson and the picks would work financially, but would a Thunder team looking to rebuild themselves really want to face three years from a 34-year-old Horford?
With some serious playoff performances, Paul has proven to all skeptics that he can still play the game at the highest level. And while his advanced age and potential injury issues are a concern for any team interested in acquiring him, Paul certainly looks like he still has a good two years left, which is the remaining length of his current contract. For a team with an open title window looking to win now – like the 76ers – chasing Paul could potentially be an interesting decision.
As a perimeter capable of playing both on and off the ball and knocking down big shots, Oladipo would fit into Philly alongside Embiid and Simmons. There have been rumors that Oladipo wants out of Indiana, but the All-Star guard recently denied these rumors. But while Oladipo doesn’t necessarily want to be traded out of Indiana, that doesn’t mean the Pacers still won’t be looking to move him. Oladipo is ready for unrestricted free agency in 2021. If the two sides can’t agree on an extension and the Pacers don’t feel like he’s going to reconnect in free agency, they might want to exchange it for a return before losing it for nothing in free will. At this point, the Sixers may be looking to move in.
Trading for Oladipo without guarantees that he would sign again the next offseason would be risky for the Sixers, but it could also give them the opportunity to get out of one of the bad deals they signed last offseason. A Horford Choice Plus deal would work in exchange for Oladipo and Doug McDermott, but the question again is whether the Pacers would want to do that. If Oladipo is ultimately made available, the Pacers will send him to the team that can come up with the most enticing offer, and without including Embiid or Simmons, there’s no guarantee that Philadelphia will be able to do so.
The Pelicans are said to be openly discussing vacations as part of trade talks and, unsurprisingly, several vying teams are interested. As an elite perimeter defender capable of playing both on and off the ball on the attacking side, Holiday’s skills are ideal for today’s game. As such, projected contenders like the Lakers, Bucks, Clippers and Sixers could all use a player of his ilk.
While Holiday was invaluable to the Pelicans, he would be even more so in a team ready to win immediately. The Young Pelicans, who will likely try to build their squad around sophomore star Zion Williamson, appear to be years away from a real argument. In trading Holiday, 30, New Orleans would likely look to add younger pieces that better fit their team’s timeline. Holiday, who averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game last season, still has a lot of good basketball in him, and he could turn out to be a big boon in the end. for a vying team that is able to land it.
Financially, a trade involving Horford or Tobias Harris for Holiday would work. To close a deal, the Sixers would need to sweeten the pot considerably with a combination of young players (like Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton and Zhaire Smith) and draft picks. Even so, there is no guarantee that the Pelicans would be interested, but it is certainly worth inquiring about for Philadelphia.
Hield had a tumultuous tenure in Sacramento, and his name regularly appears in business rumors. As a career 41% long-range shooter, Hield would certainly fit into Philly alongside Embiid and Simmons, so it makes sense that the Sixers were mentioned as a possible destination for Hield if he was made available. . As it stands, Hield is “ not yet ” bought by the Sacramento front office, but that could change quickly, especially if they are presented with an offer that appeals to them.
The Kings were interested in Al Horford in the last free offseason before signing with the Sixers. Perhaps that interest remains, and the two sides could strike a deal centered on Hield and Horford, with other players involved to make the numbers work. If social media cues are any indication, Hield wouldn’t mind a trade with Philadelphia as he recently reacted positively to a post that the Sixers might be interested in him.
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