NBA Trade Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers testing the market for No. 23 pick, 3x NBA champion and 4 other players
The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs for five straight years but haven't gotten further than four Eastern Conference semifinals apperanaces. That's despite having Joel Embiid, who has finished second in the MVP race the past two seasons.
After being eliminated by the Miami Heat in the semifinals this year, Philadelphia is looking to make some big roster moves. After all, Embiid needs more help than just James Harden, who turns 33 in August.
The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to make big moves
After another disappointing ending, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to improve their roster. It's clear that Joel Embiid cannot carry the team all the way to a championship. However, James Harden has seen a steady decline in scoring since 2018-19 and Embiid may need more than him.
According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers "are gauging trade interest" in many of their players. That list consists of Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz and Danny Green as well as the No. 23 pick.
The Philadelphia 76ers are gauging trade interest in Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Danny Green and the No. 23 pick, per @PompeyOnSixers https://t.co/lkIA2gFB8G
Kevin O'Conner of The Ringer has also reported that the 76ers are exploring trades that include Green and the 23rd pick in the draft on June 23.
Many things have changed for Philly in recent seasons, and the Ben Simmons drama the past two seasons has certainly changed the course of the franchise. However, they still have some assets they could swap for another great player.
Harris is owed $38.4 million next year and almost $41 million in 2024. Despite having such a huge contract, the forward hasn't played up to par, averaging only around 17 points in both the regular season and the playoffs.
Milton and Thybulle both have team options on their contracts for next season. The Sixers will definitely keep them since they will be owed $2 and $4.4 million, respectively.
Both are great young players, and Philadelphia could potentially use them to make Harris' contract tradeable. It is very unlikely that the Sixers will be able to keep both Milton and Thybulle after next season as their value will be much higher.
The team payroll for next season
The Philadelphia 76ers' payroll for next season is already $153 million, more than $50 million above the salary cap, yet they only have 13 players on the roster. Out of these 13, four don't have fully guaranteed contracts.
Danny Green is on an expiring contract and will turn 35 in just a few days. Despite having a disappointing season, he could be a huge contributor to another team. Green has been on three championship teams: the San Antonio Spurs (2014), Toronto Raptors (2019) and LA Lakers (2020).
I asked Kendrick Perkins about Joel Embiid's cryptic "Miami needs another star" tweet. It led to Perkins saying Embiid and Jimmy Butler need to be reunited...in Philly. https://t.co/vsShhhh0cX
Joel Embiid is expected to stay in Philadelphia during his entire contract. However, it just wouldn't be smart to waste his prime years on early playoff exits, so the Sixers will have to make big moves this summer.