FA Targets if Harden leaves

[brannigan73]

Thats an underwhelming list of names. DeRozan could be interesting. If they could get a season out of him like he had for the Bulls in 2022 they might have a shot at a long playoff run.

[brannigan73]

The thing is, we're not a contender next year if Harden leaves. So we should just put it in Maxey's hands and force-feed his development.

I don't think we're a contender if Harden stays. I think we're second round fodder. I think we need to see what the young guys can do. People act like we're wasting a year of Embiid's prime, but I disagree. I think he'll benefit from playing without expectations for a year. I think we can then evaluate and regroup in 24 when we have cap space and flexibility. Again, those are my thoughts on this. I think we need to use this next season as a reset type of year. Let the young guys develop, bring in some new energy. This will allow Embiid to play a bit more relaxed and free.

Which young guys do you speak of besides Maxey? Shake isn't "young" anymore. I don't see it with Springer or McDaniels. For the hell of it I'd like to see Mac get tons of burn just to make it interesting. Otherwise next year will probably suck just as much but in a different way.

Jaden Springer couldnt get on the court for minimal minutes in two years. But hope springs eternal on this board.

[FlyingArrow]

I don't think we're a contender if Harden stays. I think we're second round fodder. I think we need to see what the young guys can do. People act like we're wasting a year of Embiid's prime, but I disagree. I think he'll benefit from playing without expectations for a year. I think we can then evaluate and regroup in 24 when we have cap space and flexibility. Again, those are my thoughts on this. I think we need to use this next season as a reset type of year. Let the young guys develop, bring in some new energy. This will allow Embiid to play a bit more relaxed and free.

Which young guys do you speak of besides Maxey? Shake isn't "young" anymore. I don't see it with Springer or McDaniels. For the hell of it I'd like to see Mac get tons of burn just to make it interesting. Otherwise next year will probably suck just as much but in a different way.

Jaden Springer couldnt get on the court for minimal minutes in two years. But hope springs eternal on this board.

Is that you, Glenn?

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I don't think we're a contender if Harden stays. I think we're second round fodder. I think we need to see what the young guys can do. People act like we're wasting a year of Embiid's prime, but I disagree. I think he'll benefit from playing without expectations for a year. I think we can then evaluate and regroup in 24 when we have cap space and flexibility. Again, those are my thoughts on this. I think we need to use this next season as a reset type of year. Let the young guys develop, bring in some new energy. This will allow Embiid to play a bit more relaxed and free.

Which young guys do you speak of besides Maxey? Shake isn't "young" anymore. I don't see it with Springer or McDaniels. For the hell of it I'd like to see Mac get tons of burn just to make it interesting. Otherwise next year will probably suck just as much but in a different way.

Jaden Springer couldnt get on the court for minimal minutes in two years. But hope springs eternal on this board.

Paul Reed had trouble too, Shake was buried. You never gave them a chance Doc! That's part of the reason why they canned you. Well...That and the consistent choke jobs you successfully coach your teams into during the postseason. Go take your talents to the Milwaukee forum.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Thats an underwhelming list of names. DeRozan could be interesting. If they could get a season out of him like he had for the Bulls in 2022 they might have a shot at a long playoff run.

DeMar DeRozan is pushing mid 30s and has been a career playoff quitter as well.

[youngcrev]

Thats an underwhelming list of names. DeRozan could be interesting. If they could get a season out of him like he had for the Bulls in 2022 they might have a shot at a long playoff run.

DeMar DeRozan is pushing mid 30s and has been a career playoff quitter as well.

I don't know if quitter is the right word, but yeah, for whatever reason, he's another guy that hasn't performed well in the playoffs. It's strange since he's got the type of game that you would think would translate well. During the regular season he's been huge down the stretch of games, and he's just a tough shot maker in general. I don't know if it's playoff defensive schemes or mindset or what.

Still... I might trust him more than Harden. And he's on a one year deal so you don't have to deal with the massive downside that will come with the end of Harden's deal.

If there was some type of way you could swap out James for DeMar and Caruso, I'd be on board.

[Kobblehead]

I get that beggars can't be choosers, but we really can't just keep bringing in career playoff losers and expect them to transcend their fatal flaw and bring us to the promised land.

Derozan has played well in basically 2 of his 11 career playoff series. He's been GREAT in the regular season these last several years, but he just sucks in the playoffs. He doesn't have big game moxie. Same as Embiid and Harden.

[strotorious]

Most important is to break out of this cycle of having limited options, making a desperate move due to those limited options, then being put in an even more limited position due to that desperate move. With a TPE I'd definitely focus on expiring contracts like Heyward and Derozan mentioned earlier. I'd take the same approach with the MLE, maybe get a vet PG on a one year deal, Beverley/Jackson/Joseph.

It certainly doesn't make them title favorites, but at this point no move will. The key is that after the season they'd have countless options. If things go well they could mostly run it back. If not, they'd have nearly $100M in expiring contracts to play with. They could sign and trade them or just let them all walk and sign a max FA or two. Or if they decide this just ain't it they trade Embiid and start a full rebuild with a clean sheet.

The worst case scenario for me is unfortunately the most likely, which is to give Harden whatever he wants, then a year or two from now we're stuck with an unhappy Embiid, a washed Harden on an unmovable deal, no major trade assets, and still owing two firsts.

[PhillyFan11]

Thats an underwhelming list of names. DeRozan could be interesting. If they could get a season out of him like he had for the Bulls in 2022 they might have a shot at a long playoff run.

DeMar DeRozan is pushing mid 30s and has been a career playoff quitter as well.

I don't know if quitter is the right word, but yeah, for whatever reason, he's another guy that hasn't performed well in the playoffs. It's strange since he's got the type of game that you would think would translate well. During the regular season he's been huge down the stretch of games, and he's just a tough shot maker in general. I don't know if it's playoff defensive schemes or mindset or what.

Still... I might trust him more than Harden. And he's on a one year deal so you don't have to deal with the massive downside that will come with the end of Harden's deal.

If there was some type of way you could swap out James for DeMar and Caruso, I'd be on board.

Derozan just doesn’t shoot well enough. Can’t have a wing that takes less than 2 3’s a game on this team, wouldn’t work. We need athletic wings that have no problem taking 4+ 3’s a game at a 35+% make rate and also play D well on multiple positions….the problem is so does every other team in the league.

[Arsenal]

No one is expecting us to be a contender next year if Harden leaves. Guys like DeRozan are a STOPGAP for one year until we can open up cap room in summer 2024 to build a contender again.

But I get the concept of just turning it over to the young guys instead of getting another proven loser as a stopgap. In fact, I'd prefer that. Just let Shake, Springer, Maxey etc. cook.

[Negrodamus]

Here's a hot take: There aren't many great "playoff stars" available in free agency because there isn't much of a variety in the teams that win it. Curry, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, and I think we can firmly say Butler (although he hasn't won it all) are the guys that carried their teams through playoffs.

Do you think if we grabbed Klay Thompson or Draymond, they're going to carry us through? We know AD couldn't do much on his own, same with Siakam, Lowry, Jrue, etc.

Here's another hot take, aside from game 7, I thought Embiid was excellent in the playoffs. He's just not a guy who will score 45 points in game 7 to win it all, particularly if he's being doubled.

All that said, my final hot take is that I do think we would have had a better chance to beat the Celtics with DeRozan. He's not a fraudulent FT baiter like Harden is and actually gets to the line through aggressive drives. He's also automatic inside the arc; so when we're not making shots on spammed threes, we can go to him to get a bucket. You know who else is like that? Jimmy Butler.

[spikeslovechild]

If Harden leaves Embiid is going to request a trade if you try to play with that group. For that reason, I'd be open to Irving.

Quickly ducks out of thread

[Stanford]

Embiid is going to request a trade

Oh well. You've gotta move on eventually and he'll be 30 next season.

[Kobblehead]

Pascal Siakam and Brandon Ingram both had a good showing, despite being eliminated, the last time they were in the playoffs.

I don't know how we would get either one of them, though.

[ProcessDoctor]

If this team is married to Harden/Embiid, then I think the next logical step is moving Maxey + Harris for a playmaking wing. I’m not saying that’s what I want, but it doesn’t make sense to just run it back with this core plus a new coach. We can’t run our playoff offense through Embiid/Harden. We need a playmaking wing that can get his own shot in the half court or facilitate.

Maxey/Harris/Korkmaz for Kawhi/Covington

Maxey/Harris for Siakam/OPJ

Maxey/Harris for Ingram/Nance (3 teamer?)

[the_process]

Here's a hot take: There aren't many great "playoff stars" available in free agency because there isn't much of a variety in the teams that win it. Curry, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, and I think we can firmly say Butler (although he hasn't won it all) are the guys that carried their teams through playoffs.

Do you think if we grabbed Klay Thompson or Draymond, they're going to carry us through? We know AD couldn't do much on his own, same with Siakam, Lowry, Jrue, etc.

Here's another hot take, aside from game 7, I thought Embiid was excellent in the playoffs. He's just not a guy who will score 45 points in game 7 to win it all, particularly if he's being doubled.

All that said, my final hot take is that I do think we would have had a better chance to beat the Celtics with DeRozan. He's not a fraudulent FT baiter like Harden is and actually gets to the line through aggressive drives. He's also automatic inside the arc; so when we're not making shots on spammed threes, we can go to him to get a bucket. You know who else is like that? Jimmy Butler.

DDR sucks when it counts. I'd rather have LaVine honestly.

There's no good options left. But assuming Harden is gone, they have to try and fill the salary slot without trading Tobias. Morey should even be looking to get paid to take bad contracts.

[the_process]

If this team is married to Harden/Embiid, then I think the next logical step is moving Maxey + Harris for a playmaking wing. I’m not saying that’s what I want, but it doesn’t make sense to just run it back with this core plus a new coach. We can’t run our playoff offense through Embiid/Harden. We need a playmaking wing that can get his own shot in the half court or facilitate.

Maxey/Harris/Korkmaz for Kawhi/Covington

Maxey/Harris for Siakam

Maxey/Harris for Ingram/Nance (3 teamer?)

Precisely. If they can get Harden back.

[youngcrev]

DeMar DeRozan is pushing mid 30s and has been a career playoff quitter as well.

I don't know if quitter is the right word, but yeah, for whatever reason, he's another guy that hasn't performed well in the playoffs. It's strange since he's got the type of game that you would think would translate well. During the regular season he's been huge down the stretch of games, and he's just a tough shot maker in general. I don't know if it's playoff defensive schemes or mindset or what.

Still... I might trust him more than Harden. And he's on a one year deal so you don't have to deal with the massive downside that will come with the end of Harden's deal.

If there was some type of way you could swap out James for DeMar and Caruso, I'd be on board.

Derozan just doesn’t shoot well enough. Can’t have a wing that takes less than 2 3’s a game on this team, wouldn’t work. We need athletic wings that have no problem taking 4+ 3’s a game at a 35+% make rate and also play D well on multiple positions….the problem is so does every other team in the league.

I worry about that less with a guy that would be your primary ball handler rather than a support piece. Not optimal, but optimal is out the window.

[Negrodamus]

Here's a hot take: There aren't many great "playoff stars" available in free agency because there isn't much of a variety in the teams that win it. Curry, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, and I think we can firmly say Butler (although he hasn't won it all) are the guys that carried their teams through playoffs.

Do you think if we grabbed Klay Thompson or Draymond, they're going to carry us through? We know AD couldn't do much on his own, same with Siakam, Lowry, Jrue, etc.

Here's another hot take, aside from game 7, I thought Embiid was excellent in the playoffs. He's just not a guy who will score 45 points in game 7 to win it all, particularly if he's being doubled.

All that said, my final hot take is that I do think we would have had a better chance to beat the Celtics with DeRozan. He's not a fraudulent FT baiter like Harden is and actually gets to the line through aggressive drives. He's also automatic inside the arc; so when we're not making shots on spammed threes, we can go to him to get a bucket. You know who else is like that? Jimmy Butler.

DDR sucks when it counts. I'd rather have LaVine honestly.

There's no good options left. But assuming Harden is gone, they have to try and fill the salary slot without trading Tobias. Morey should even be looking to get paid to take bad contracts.

I’ll quit watching if we get LaVine. That dude absolutely sucks.

[Ferry Avenue]

If this team is married to Harden/Embiid, then I think the next logical step is moving Maxey + Harris for a playmaking wing. I’m not saying that’s what I want, but it doesn’t make sense to just run it back with this core plus a new coach. We can’t run our playoff offense through Embiid/Harden. We need a playmaking wing that can get his own shot in the half court or facilitate.

Maxey/Harris/Korkmaz for Kawhi/Covington

Maxey/Harris for Siakam/OPJ

Maxey/Harris for Ingram/Nance (3 teamer?)

That’s what should’ve happened at the trade deadline this year, and I noted that here at the time. It was clear by then that Harden and Embiid weren’t going to spearhead this team any further than it’s gone in the playoffs over the past several years.