After losing in the second round of the playoffs for the second straight year, the Philadelphia 76ers are exploring all options ahead of the 2022 offseason.
With James Harden locked in and on board for the future, team GM Elton Brand will be tasked with building a capable supporting cast. According to a new report from Keith Pompey, the team is exploring trade deals for a few of their players, including Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and Shake Milton.
(via The Philadelphia Inquirer):
Multiple league sources have said the team is gauging teams’ interest in Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz, and Shake Milton, in addition to potential trade partners for Danny Green and the No. 23 pick.
The Sixers are trying to gauge the market to see what they can get for the players and the draft pick, one source said. This approach is part of their effort to compile information and see what deals could work when it’s time to make a trade.
The Sixers realize their current roster is not suited to win an NBA championship. They’re determined to upgrade it with established players who can help propel them.
The 76ers were engaged in a brutal internal battle for months. Following their elimination last year, young star Ben Simmons cut all ties with the franchise and essentially forced them to trade him.
In return, the Sixers got an altered version of James Harden, who doesn’t resemble the superstar he used to be. Despite the new roster and the end of the Simmons saga, the team failed again to make ground in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.
Finding a deal for Harris, Thybulle, or anyone else on the roster could help make them better for a run in the next campaign. For now, they will keep their options open as free agency looms on the horizon.
