Sixers Offseason Thread Part 3

[Negrodamus]

Spoiler:

If we get rid of Tucker instead of Korkmaz I'm down. Can't have PJ's deal clogging the cap next summer. But I don't think this works as Clips likely need to send out more salary. They can't take in more than they send out.

Could do PJ for Batum. But Kork would still have to be involved to make the numbers work.

It works if you send out PJ + Kork and we take back Batum. Final deal:

LAC > Powell, Batum, Covington, Mann, Boston, 1st
LAC < Harden, Tucker, Korkmaz (-$1.8M)

CHI > DeRozan
CHI < Powell, Mann, Boston (+$1.8M)

PHI > Harden, Tucker, Korkmaz
PHI < DeRozan, Batum, Covington, LAC 1st (+$0.0)

I would do this. Bulls might be a problem. Clips should do it, but would they?

I mean, what is the Bulls plan next year? Win it all with DeRozan and LaVine, lol? That team is DOA and DeRozan is definitely not going to re-sign with them next year.

Getting Boston and Mann would be a good injection of youth. Powell might be the issue as he's older and has multiple years left, but he can be replaced with Marcus Morris + one of the cheaper prospects (Bones, Preston, etc).

[Embiid P]

The decision to match B-Ball Paul despite being a relatively cheap contract indicates to me that maximizing our cap space in 2024 isn't a main priority for Harris, Morey and company and rightfully so given that we always seem to strike out in getting the top free agents to sign here.

If their goal is to save money long-term, the best thing to do is acquire more draft picks even if it means taking on longer contracts than Harden, Tobias, etc.

[FireMorey]

I don't necessarily agree, I think the Sixers view Reed either as a long-term piece or an appreciating asset/investment that they can flip down the road and they'll hope he develops more under Nurse.

But if you look at everything they've done... all one year deals. And I'd be willing to bet that they probably would've pursued other free agents, like a Seth Curry, but didn't get involved because they got more than one year deals.

I think the Sixers being fixated on one year deals is probably the biggest reason they've been inactive in free agency so far. It limits their options, and also when players take one year deals, they're more likely to join teams they believe can win, and players around the league don't really consider the Sixers that.

[Stanford]

Nobody fking cares about Norm Powell.

Fine. I won't mention his name again. I'll just say one first round pick and a couple bad contracts. I don't know how that makes the current Harden offer any more enticing. But alright.

[Stanford]

The desperation to do a deal NOW is comical.

Especially when the deal would be one first round pick and a couple bad contracts.

N*rm P*well is a low-key negative asset

Nobody cares about N*rm P*well.

LAC > P*well, Batum, Covington, Mann, Boston, 1st
LAC < Harden, Tucker, Korkmaz (-$1.8M)

Nobody cares.

P*well might be the issue as he's older and has multiple years left

Do I have to start giving out warnings? Nobody cares.

[Negrodamus]

Maxey, Melton and Kork for Norman Powell works too.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Nobody fking cares about Norm Powell.

Fine. I won't mention his name again. I'll just say one first round pick and a couple bad contracts. I don't know how that makes the current Harden offer any more enticing. But alright.

It doesn't, and FWIW I happen to like Norm Powell.
All of this is a set up for Luka next summer anyway when he asks out.

[Stanford]

All of this is a set up for Luka next summer anyway when he asks out.

true

[LeonJordanJr24]

Nah disagree Lavine has enough ball handling,size and athleticism to compliment Maxey and enough scoring to carry the load for Embiid. He is the next best thing after Haliburton for our backcourt and really is a good harden replacement long-term .

[hookshot199]

Latest from Amick:

With Harden, we’ve already seen how messy it can get when his trade request isn’t being granted as quickly as he would like. During those final weeks of his Houston era, when Morey had already left his Rockets front office post for Philadelphia and Harden had decided in November 2021 that it was time to move on, he showed up to training camp late after partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas, causing all kinds of consternation inside the locker room once he arrived. The later stages of his Brooklyn experience had similar vibes, with Morey using Harden’s unhappiness to his advantage in negotiations with the Nets before that February 2022 trade to Philadelphia.

Yet despite all that relevant history, and in spite of the fact that Morey may know Harden, and all of his complexities, better than anyone in the NBA, rival executives with whom I spoke at summer league were universally convinced that the Sixers are now attempting to keep Harden. Discontent be damned.

The sluggish trade talks between the Sixers and Clippers about Harden would seem to support this stance. Morey is known to be asking for the kind of return that — as of Tuesday afternoon — left the strong impression that he had no genuine interest in getting a deal done anytime soon.

Harden’s stance has not changed, a source close to him told The Athletic. He still wants to leave Philadelphia. He’s still upset with how Morey handled his situation heading into possible free agency last month. And even with the recent revelation that Harden attended the same NBPA party as Sixers co-star Joel Embiid and former Sixers owner Michael Rubin in Vegas, he’s still determined to start next season in a Clippers jersey.

This is just an opinion, but...

I believe Harden felt he had an ace-in-the-hole with Houston. Then Houston hired Udoka on April 25, who got to see Harden's collapse in games 5, 6 and 7. We're at May 14. I suspect Morey offered him three years at $120 mil, even $150 mil. Harden didn't agree. Morey told him to find a trade - which he couldn't.


I don't think Morey was out to screw Harden. But ownership, after his collapse, disappearance, however you want to characterize it, wasn't going to commit to four years at near-max money.

The other thing is this: To get him close to $40 mil/year almost had to be by way of a sign-and-trade since free agency would have limited his options.

What do I think is going to happen if Morey can't make a deal? I think Harden will play this season in Philly, work in Nick Nurse's system, be more of a shooter than playmaker, and be offered a two-year, $80 mil deal in the offseason. Maybe add $10 mil for his helping Morey out last July.

Just my opinion.

It's much simpler than that. Tillman had a grudge on Harden and Morey. Tillman played Harden which also damaged the relationship with Morey. Really all there is to it.

The only thing is; Tillman couldn't have foreseen that Harden would play dead in one of the biggest games of his career. Game 6, at home, two future hall of famers. It is what it is. If he wins that game for us, we play Miami. We were a better team. We probably would have gone to the finals. He would have gotten his payday. Rightly or wrongly. Probably wrongly.

[LeonJordanJr24]

I really don't care about negotiating or waiting for the right deal for harden. I just want him moved and this team focused on playing basketball and getting out the 2nd round. Honestly we traded Ben for harden and it got us nowhere. We traded for Tobias and Butler and it got us nowhere.

I'm at the point where I gradually build up Maxey and squeeze out what's left of Embiid until we truly find out that we ain't ever winning **** with Embiid.

[ProcessDoctor]

Nobody fking cares about Norm Powell.

Fine. I won't mention his name again. I'll just say one first round pick and a couple bad contracts. I don't know how that makes the current Harden offer any more enticing. But alright.

It doesn't, and FWIW I happen to like Norm Powell.
All of this is a set up for Luka next summer anyway when he asks out.

What's one way to extend the lifespan of a franchise player? Get another franchise player

Boston is also primed to go after him.

[LeonJordanJr24]

76ers fans swear Stars like and want to play here. The honest truth is they dont... Luka ain't coming here lol.. why would he come here ? Maybe all this underachieving and players leaving after one year or two will help our delusional "blue collared" fans get the message ...

[Negrodamus]

DeRozan is simply a better asset than LaVine. That's even with LaVine locked in for multiple years entering his prime compared to DeRozan at 33 on an expiring.

When DeRozan leaves Chicago, LaVine is going to be the main guy and he's going to average 25-30 ppg on horrific efficiency as the Bulls head towards the lottery every year.

It would be like if we traded Embiid now and built around Maxey. Maxey is a good player, but he'll never be the #1 or even #2 guy on a winning team.

[ProcessDoctor]

DeRozan is simply a better asset than LaVine. That's even with LaVine locked in for multiple years entering his prime compared to DeRozan at 33 on an expiring.

When DeRozan leaves Chicago, LaVine is going to be the main guy and he's going to average 25-30 ppg on horrific efficiency as the Bulls head towards the lottery every year.

It would be like if we traded Embiid now and built around Maxey. Maxey is a good player, but he'll never be the #1 or even #2 guy on a winning team.

This is why I hope Morey is posturing with this "Maxey is untouchable" stuff. He's probably best suited to be a #3 on a championship team. How we get a real #2 (#1?) has been our problem for the entire Embiid era.

[Jailblazers7]

At this point, I’d be happy with either Demar or Lavine in a Harden trade. I’d be ok with Lavine as a long-term bet that Embiid/Lavine/Maxey can be a championship core that we optimize the roster around for the next 3-4 years. Demar would be the perimeter bucket getter we always wanted next to Embiid.

[Stanford]

I believe that by the time Maxey is 27, he'll be good enough to be a #2 on a winning team.

[LeonJordanJr24]

DeRozan is simply a better asset than LaVine. That's even with LaVine locked in for multiple years entering his prime compared to DeRozan at 33 on an expiring.

When DeRozan leaves Chicago, LaVine is going to be the main guy and he's going to average 25-30 ppg on horrific efficiency as the Bulls head towards the lottery every year.

It would be like if we traded Embiid now and built around Maxey. Maxey is a good player, but he'll never be the #1 or even #2 guy on a winning team.

We dont need a asset we need a scoring option that ain't afraid to launch it. Also having a player young enough and that will be here for a while would be nice..

[ProcessDoctor]

LAC out: Powell, Mann, Covington, Batum, 2028 1st, 2030 1st
LAC in: Harden, Tucker, Wilson

PHI out: Harden, Tucker, Harris, Springer
PHI in: Siakam, Mann, Powell, Covington, Batum

TOR out: Siakam, Wilson
TOR in: Harris, Melton, 2028 LAC 1st, 2030 LAC 1st


Maxey/Springer/Beverley
Mann/Powell/Korkmaz
Covington/Batum/House
Siakam/Reed/Petrusev
Embiid/Bamba/Harrell

[Ben]

DeRozan is simply a better asset than LaVine. That's even with LaVine locked in for multiple years entering his prime compared to DeRozan at 33 on an expiring.

When DeRozan leaves Chicago, LaVine is going to be the main guy and he's going to average 25-30 ppg on horrific efficiency as the Bulls head towards the lottery every year.

It would be like if we traded Embiid now and built around Maxey. Maxey is a good player, but he'll never be the #1 or even #2 guy on a winning team.

I can understand why any given person might not want LaVine on this Sixers team if the goal is max cap space, but I don't get this business about horrific efficiency. LaVine has posted TS% of greater than 60% for each of the last 3 years (averaging around 61.5% over that span). That's very, very efficient for a wing. Better than Harden over that span (minus the great playmaking, of course-- I'm just addressing efficiency). He shoots 3s in volume and at a very good (although not elite) clip, he gets to the line at a good rate and converts at about 85%, he can catch & shoot or create his own shot. Very nice ball fake to throw off defenders. He's not a great defender and and doesn't mesh particularly well with DeRozan when they're both on the court, but offensively inefficient he's not.