bebopdeluxe wrote:
I do think this is the leverage point. Marks has to know that Morey can deal Harris to OKC. It is common knowledge that OKC is a ways away from the salary cap floor and has to do something.
So...the game of chicken here is Marks daring Morey to deal Harris to OKC - which would probably blow up the Sixers season, but would put them in position to sign Harden this summer. It would be rough on team chemistry, no doubt. Harris is a team leader, and it would throw the team in a tailspin. The alternative, however - which is trading Maxey and/or Thybulle - hurts the Sixers well beyond this season. You could also make the argument that, given teh massive contract that Harden will be signing, the Sixers FO may want Morey to move Harris anyway, to lessen the tax burden.
I think what it comes down to is what does Harden want? If he really wants to come to the Sixers, and Morey knows that, then I think he would trade Harris, take the hit on this season, but not only sign Harden as a FA, but would get whatever assets from teams with cap space this summer (like SAS or DET) would give him to get Simmons off the books...and even if the return would not be as good as Harden, I am sure those teams would at the very least give the Sixers draft picks, which could be used in turn to get additional players.
Your move, Sean.
A few things worth noting here.
First regarding the salary floor. OKC does not need to meet it, if they fail to reach it they will just pay money to their currently signed players until they reach it. Giving their own players more money would in fact be preferable, especially in the case of a guy like Lu Dort who is underpaid or the second round/unlikely to get a second contract guys.It is good for team morale and chemistry.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2787871-how-nba-free-agency-salary-cap-work"It hasn't stopped teams from "tanking" to improve their odds of winning the draft lottery, but, yes, there is a salary floor. It is 90 percent of the salary cap, which equates to $91.682 million for the upcoming season.
If a team's salary is below that mark at the time of the final game of the regular season, it is required to distribute additional money to the players on the roster until it has actually spent the 90 percent. However, the team is not allowed to use this as a workaround to pay a player more than the league maximum for his stature."Second, the 76s pick currently owed to OKC in 2025 is only protected 1-6. Unprotecting this pick is actually not huge value, even as highly regarded as unprotected picks are. Embiid should 'likely' still be in his prime, Maxey will be in his prime, Harden is likely to at least be an nba level player still and Morey will have had time to add additional role players in that time. Even assuming a near worst case scenario of Injured Embiid and washed Harden, if the pick is unprotected with Maxey and role players on the team and ZERO incentive to tank that pick is unlikely to be any better than 6th anyway. Especially since every year their are teams intending on tanking. OKC are going through this exact situation right now with the Clippers who, while having 2 major stars out with significant injury, are still only at the edge or outside of the lottery.
Third, OKC has many first round picks this year already. A mid 20s pick holds little value, even if put together as a part of a package with other picks to move up because other teams like Memphis can do the same thing. They can't use all of these picks and any other pick between now and the 2025 first already owed would be expected to be late 20s also if they are in effect facilitating a Harden trade.
Fourth, OKC
needs to tank this year. Tobias Harris could easily turn this years pick from 3rd or 4th pick in to the 6th or 7th pick. Internal improvement, other teams tanking and organizational competence makes getting extremely high picks in the future unlikely.
Fifth, Presti knows that Morey's leverage is currently reliant on him which in turn gives him his own leverage. Historically Presti has gotten slam dunk value out of these situations. See the PG13 trade, also the Russ CP3 trade.
I would expect if OKC were to take on Harris before the deadline it would be something like unprotect the 2025 pick, OKC get 76ers 2022 1st, 76ers take back Favors and OKC receive Thybulle, maybe OKC would want even more than this. Alternatively OKC take Harris and Maxey from 76ers and give them back their 2025 1st. I'd be surprised if Morey was willing to do either of these though, especially given it was Presti who made Morey look bad with the Russ CP3 trade.
