The Philadelphia 76ers need to make quite a few changes around their roster if they hope to be more competitive next season. They came close to blowing a 3-0 lead over the Toronto Raptors in round one of the Playoffs this season, before being dispatched easily by the Miami Heat in the second round.
The 76ers made a massive trade to give up a lot of their team’s depth to acquire James Harden from Brooklyn. Harden hasn’t looked like his old self, struggling through the Playoffs as it became obvious that Philly needs more players around Joel Embiid and Harden.
Philly has already made an upgrade to their rotation this season by trading for De’Anthony Melton for guard depth. They still need front-court players and a backup center for Embiid that isn’t DeAndre Jordan or Paul Reed. It seems they will at least get someone who can fill in that need in an experimental lineup, as the 76ers have become the favorites to sign PJ Tucker this offseason.
Apparently the Sixers are still the extreme favorites to sign PJ Tucker and it would a be surprise if he stayed with the Heat according to Stein
I have no idea how we gonna just spawn 30 mill of Cap Space out of nowhere but I’m down lol pic.twitter.com/yrY1OzEWRU
— 👽🗣️ (@SirEmbiid) June 26, 2022
Tucker is probably the most in-demand player available for the mid-level exception, which is about $6 million. All contending teams would like to have his tough mentality and floor stretchability on their team. Tucker is also a versatile defender, being able to guard all positions across the front court.
Tucker came into prominence on the Houston Rockets playing alongside Harden. Their rapport and Harden’s ability to create open shots for his teammates should be a recipe for success for the 76ers.
PJ will field offers from other teams like the Miami Heat, where he is now, before making a decision. If the 76ers have taken an early lead in this negotiation race, they should push to close the deal as soon as possible. Everyone in the league recognizes the value Tucker brings to the teams he is on and his abilities are extremely valuable to teams contending for championships.
