The Philadelphia 76ers might be the most amazing team to watch ahead of the NBA’s February 10 trading deadline. Did they finally get rid of Ben Simmons? Could Tobias Harris be on the move? What other moves might they have in store to surround Joel Embiid with a championship-caliber roster?
There’s nothing Philadelphia tells us over the next few weeks, but here are three options the Sixers should consider if they want to become a legitimate competitor in the Eastern Conference come supplement time.
1. Redeem Ben Simmons for the best package available
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The No. 1 choice in the 76ers shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
Simmons clearly isn’t planning to fit into the team at any point this season, so Philadelphia would be wise to get rid of him by the NBA’s trading deadline and add any possible assets in any deal. As of now, the Sixers’ wish for a Top 30 vs Simmons isn’t fulfilled, but that may always change as February 10 approaches when teams become more desperate to make a move.
The 76ers will likely flip Simmons for a package centered around Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton or CJ McCollum, and should jump in at the first opportunity if one of those players becomes available. Given that Embiid is playing at MVP level this year, the Sixers owe it to him to surround him with a championship-caliber roster while he’s still in his prime.
Simmons trading will be the easiest way to do this.
2. Find a Way to Get Rid of a Tobias Harris Contract
Simmons is undoubtedly the biggest problem facing the Philadelphia roster this year, but Tobias Harris isn’t far behind. The veteran striker is going through his worst paying season as a 76er, and has become one of the most underpaid players in the entire NBA.
Harris is set to earn just $36 million this year. He’s worth nearly $80 million over the next two seasons, and it might not even be worth half that. If the 76ers can find some way to trade Harris by the NBA trading deadline, it would be a huge win for chief basketball operations Daryl Morey.
The Sixers have reportedly been in talks with other bands about a commercial package that includes both Simmons and Harris, but they haven’t received any bites yet.
If the 76ers somehow manage to check both numbers 1 and 2 on their trade deadline wish list, Philly fans will be elated.
3. Do absolutely nothing…Yeah, really
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Philadelphia fans won’t like the sound of option 3, but unfortunately it may be the most realistic solution. There hasn’t been much movement about a potential Simmons deal, and it’s clear that Harris’s trade has been elusive due to his ridiculous contract.
Morey wouldn’t be in a hurry to trade any of the players if she didn’t put the 77th comeback over the hump as championship contenders, so it’s very likely he’ll come out the rest of the season with the same roster we’ve seen all year.
Wouldn’t you do absolutely nothing on Deadline Trade make the Sixers Championship contenders this season? Mostly not. But it will give them more time and more options to trade Simmons and/or Harris in the off-season. Wasting another year of Prime Embedded doesn’t seem very wise, but it could set the 76ers up to compete in the Eastern Conference for years to come.
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