A Fan Can Hope: Far-Fetched Sixers Offseason Targets

For the past few offseasons, Sixers fans like myself have day-dreamed of landing a big name free agent. Despite throwing their names in the hats of the LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, and even Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes, they’ve landed none of those top players.

 

Instead, over the past five seasons, the Sixers have dealt out big money contracts to Tobias Harris, who I maintain is a solid player. He’s just been asked to adjust to far too many roles with this organization. That being said, he’s still not even close to worth the $36 million he makes per season.

 

The other big free agent was Al Horford, and because I like my job I’m going to refrain from saying anything more about him or that albatross of a contract.

 (Editor’s note: If he REALLY liked his job, he would’ve eviscerated Horford and his contract. That course of action provides unlimited job security here.)

 

Alas, most of the moves the Sixers have made in the offseason, or during the season for that matter, have been via trades. Daryl Morey, the Sixers President of Basketball Operations, is one of the most trade-happy front office guys in the league. Since he’s been here, Morey has had an uncanny ability to make the roster fit much better than it did the previous season.

 

In the past two years, he’s acquired Seth Curry, Danny Green, and James Harden while giving up players that Sixers fans loathed watching in each of those deals (Josh Richardson, Horford, and a 6’10” Australian point guard who’s afraid of basketballs). Furthermore, the aforementioned Harden deal proves that Morey is willing and capable of swinging for the fences on a star player.

 

With that being said, let’s take a look at some players who could be made available this offseason for the Sixers to try and acquire. Are either of these hypothetical deals likely? No, but this is the NBA we’re talking about. This is, “Where Amazing Happens.”

 

Kevin Durant

 

The trade:

– Sixers get: Kevin Durant, Nic Claxton

– Nets get: Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Springer, first round picks until my first born graduates high school

 

In what would be second massive trade between the Nets and Sixers in five months, the Sixers land one of the most gifted scorers to ever play the game. This deal becomes even the slightest possibility because of the recent Kyrie Irving drama surrounding the Nets. It was announced Monday morning that Irving and the Nets are “at an impasse in conversations about his future in Brooklyn,” according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

 

This should be more of a surprise, given the fact that Irving said he wouldn’t leave his good buddy Durant behind in Brooklyn just two short months ago, but this is Kyrie Irving we’re talking about. Naturally, if Irving were to leave Brooklyn, Durant would be stuck on a horrendous roster into the twilight of his career while he’s still looking to win championships.

 

Within minutes of the announcement regarding Irving’s future, Sixers Twitter went to work. They brought out the big guns in the hypothetical recruitment of Durant, pointing out that he’s a part-owner of the Philadelphia Union and that he’s talked glowingly about Joel Embiid in the past.

 

 

This speculative trade would be complicated for many financial reasons that are so far over my head I won’t even pretend to understand them. But, my peanut brain sees that the money shakes out on both sides in this trade, so therefore it works.

 

To the slew of Sixers fans reading this that are getting ready to chop my metaphorical head off because I included Tyrese Maxey in this trade, I urge you to watch exactly one game Durant has played over the past ten years. Maxey is a fantastic player who has won over the hearts of this city with his glorious charm and superb work ethic.

 

That being said, he’s the best trade chip the Sixers have when it comes to acquiring a guy like Durant. As much as I would love to sit here and tell you all that a deal for Durant can be made without including Maxey, that would be a lie. I love Maxey as much as the next guy, but he cannot be the line you won’t cross when it comes to acquiring Kevin Freaking Durant.

 

Off the court, the fit between Harden and Durant would be hysterically awkward given the way things ended in Brooklyn not even half a year ago. However, on the court, the fit between those two and Embiid would be isoball heaven. Not even Glenn Rivers could screw that up…right?

 

 

Bradley Beal

 

The trade:

– Sixers get: Bradley Beal

– Wizards get: Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, 2024 lottery protected first round pick

 

This trade is a step down in lunacy from the mock Durant trade, and there are a few reasons for this. First and foremost, Beal isn’t the same type of superstar that Durant is. Beal is a fantastic player, an all-star player with all-NBA potential in his own right, but he doesn’t even begin to sniff Durant’s capabilities. The second reason is because Beal does have a player option, so a trade for Beal would only be for the sake of the Wizards getting something in return.

 

Well, if he has a player option, why wouldn’t he just opt out and sign as a free agent? I’m glad you asked. The reason he doesn’t do this is purely financial, as he would technically sign the contract as a member of the Washington Wizards, who would be able to add a fifth year to his contract that the other 29 teams could not because of the NBA’s Bird Rights.

 

Beal in the past has been unreasonably attached to the Wizards organization, but signs now are pointing to Beal having a new home come the beginning of July.

 

 

When it comes to Beal’s attraction to the Sixers, there are few teams where Beal would fit better. Playing alongside a pass-first Harden and a truly dominant big man with the passing capabilities of Joel Embiid would do wonders for an outside scorer like Beal. This deal, much like the deal above, would lead to a truly horrendous defensive team, but a beautiful offensive squad.

 

That being said, there are plenty of other teams where Beal would fit like a glove as well. However, few teams would be able to send a package to the Wizards quite like the Sixers. While Tobias Harris is on a bloated contract and Matisse Thybulle couldn’t make a three point shot if his life depended on it, each of those players are in the prime of their careers and offer an attractive skillset to what would be a rebuilding Washington squad.

 

While it would ultimately be Beal’s decision on where he wants to go, as again the sign-and-trade is merely a formality, Beal’s loyalty to the Wizards in the past suggests he would want to do some right by them. Ultimately, it feels like the Sixers may be lower on Beal’s list compared to other teams. Yet, if he were to leave Washington, few front offices would be as aggressive as Daryl Morey.

 

By Matt Szczypiorski | June 21, 2022
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