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The Philadelphia 76ers could go into the 2024 NBA offseason with a lot of cap flexibility. With James Harden, Tobias Harris and De’Anthony Melton’s contracts all expiring in 2024, that’s over $82 million coming off the books. However, HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan explained on July 26 why the Sixers may look for even more cap flexibility after matching Paul Reed’s contract offer sheet.
“The Sixers are now slightly over the tax after matching the offer sheet for Paul Reed the Jazz gave him. The Sixers are looking to prioritize cap space in 2024. Tucker is one of the few Sixers under contract for next season. He’s got that player option for $11.5 million. It wouldn’t shock me if they trade him to also get under the tax this year. A James Harden trade or a Tobias Harris trade could do that,” Gozlan wrote.
Tucker is entering the second year of a three-year, $33 million contract he signed with the Sixers in 2022. Getting that off the books while maintaining cap flexibility for 2024 could pay huge dividends for the Sixers.
P.J. Tucker Discussed in James Harden Trade Talks: Report
On July 21, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto revealed that the Sixers have floated Tucker in James Harden trade talks with the Los Angeles Clippers.
“PJ Tucker, Harden’s longtime teammate with the Rockets and Sixers, has come up in trade discussions between the 76ers and Clippers, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “The Clippers covet Tucker’s ability to guard multiple positions and defend the league’s top opposing scorers. Tucker is owed $11 million this upcoming year and has a $11.54 million player option for the 2024-25 season.”
The Clippers don’t exactly have valued assets to offer the Sixers for Harden besides expiring contracts that could help with cap flexibility. With Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington all coming off their books in 2024, that would help open up cap room for the Sixers.
However, trading all three of them to the Sixers also hurts the Clippers’ wing depth, which is where acquiring Tucker could come in handy if the Clippers and Sixers agree to a deal. Not only would he give them another wing, but he could also help them in small-ball lineups as a center, having played 6% of his NBA minutes total at the five.
P.J. Tucker Deemed ‘Weakest Link’ in Sixers Starting Lineup
In a July 27 story pinpointing each team’s weakest link in its starting lineup, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz explained why Tucker fits the bill. However, he started by adding the good that Tucker brings to the team.
“For now, though, this starting lineup is pretty obvious. As is its so-called weakest link,” Swartz wrote while he projected their starting lineup to still have Harden. “Tucker knows exactly who he is. His 40.5 three-point percentage over the last two seasons and occasional possession-saving rebounds have value in a lineup with as much scoring as this.”
Swartz added how Tucker’s issues as a player hurt the Sixers as a team.
“But he’s 38 years old, undersized for a 4, too slow to play the 3, and adds almost nothing as an off-the-bounce player on offense,” Swartz wrote.
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