5 players Sixers could acquire in Harden deal to stay competitive
James Harden’s trade request leaves the Philadelphia 76ers in a tricky position. Here are five players the team could acquire to remain competitive in the East.
James Harden has levied his third trade request in as many years, which leaves the Philadelphia 76ers in a tricky spot. The mandate to contend with Joel Embiid remains intact, but how much longer will Embiid stay content if the Sixers can’t deliver a championship roster around him?
Meanwhile, Harden is 33 years old with a lot of NBA miles on his body and one year left on his contract. The odds of Philadelphia getting a comparably talented player in return are, to put it gently, nonexistent. And it’s not like Philadelphia can afford the patient Ben Simmons holdout approach, because Harden can actually walk next summer. Simmons had four years left on his deal.
Daryl Morey will take his time and try to manipulate the market in Philadelphia’s favor, but odds are Harden gets dealt at some point for a package that will thoroughly underwhelm the fanbase.
Even so, the Sixers can — and presumably will — get quality pieces in return. Even if the package doesn’t involve a star of Harden’s caliber, here are five players the Sixers can trade for who would keep the team competitive.
No. 5 player 76ers could acquire in Harden trade: Norman Powell
Not the flashiest name, but the Clippers are the favorites to land Harden, primarily because Harden wants to go there. In that case, the Sixers would receive a package of multiple rotation-level players and future picks.
The “centerpiece” of any deal will probably be Norman Powell. While he’s not close to Harden’s realm in terms of talent, Powell can absolutely help the Sixers win. He averaged 17.0 points on 61.2 TS% last season. His 39.7 percent success rate from 3-point range makes him an instant fit in an offense designed to orbit Embiid with elite shooters.
Powell was on the shortlist for Sixth Man of the Year last season. He’d probably fill a similar role in Philadelphia, nominally coming off the bench but playing 25-30 minutes every night while shouldering a significant chunk of the second unit offense. Another added bonus here: Powell has built-in familiarity with Nick Nurse from their shared time in Toronto.
The primary concern is Powell’s lack of assists. He’s not much of a creator for others and the Sixers are going to be desperately short on facilitators without Harden. Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton can score in various ways and Maxey has made strides as a self-creator, but the Sixers don’t have any great passers on the roster other than Harden.