Sixers Linked to Pair of Former James Harden Teammates: Report

Getty P.J. Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets, James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets and Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets.

After news broke of Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey testing the market on multiple key players, rumors continue to emerge of possible targets. Ironically enough, two of the recent names to pop up are former teammates of James Harden during his time with the Houston Rockets.

Veteran forward P.J. Tucker is a name that has been connected to the Sixers for weeks now, and more updates have been provided. Following news that he will be opting out of his player option, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported they are attempting to clear cap space in hopes of signing him in free agency.

Now, the executive is pursuing former Houston power forward P.J. Tucker, league sources confirm. Sources have also said the Sixers are looking to make a three-team trade that could involve Matisse Thybulle and the No. 23 pick to create space.

Despite being one of the older players in the league at 37 years old, Tucker has proven he can still contribute for a contending team. In 71 games for the Miami this season, he averaged 7.6 PPG and 5.6 RPG while shooting an efficient 41.5% from beyond the arc.

Sixers Being Linked To Eric Gordon

The other player connected to the Sixers right now is a current Houston Rocket in Eric Gordon. During a recent episode of ‘The Hoop Collective Podcast,’ ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that they have already made an offer to acquire the former Sixth Man of the Year.

There has been some rumors about some teams interested in Eric Gordon. I’ve heard Philadelphia, I’ve heard Phoenix. Philadelphia I heard offered something around the 23rd pick, which they retained when Brooklyn didn’t trigger it as part of the Simmons trade.

After trading Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks, Houston could be looking to part ways with another veteran. Gordon averaged 13.4 PPG and 2.7 APG across 57 games for the Rockets this year. He also knocked down 41.2% of his threes on just over five attempts per game. While his contract and injury history could be cause for concern, Gordon can provide the Sixers a much-needed scoring punch off the bench.

Sixers Work Out G-League Ignite Prospect

While it’s clear the Sixers would prefer to trade the 23rd pick for someone who can contribute right now, there is a scenario where they are on the clock come draft night. In light of this, they have continued to work out a handful of prospects.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the team worked out Jaden Hardy. Among the people in attendance were Daryl Morey, Doc Rivers, and Joel Embiid. Following the action, Hardy mentioned he feels he can be a great fit alongside the Sixers’ backcourt duo of James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.

“Being able to play alongside James Harden and Tyrese Maxey and being able to learn from those guys, I feel like I will fit great,” he said, “I feel like with my game, what it brings.”

Hardy is a six-foot-four guard who spent the past year playing for G-League Ignite. In that time, he averaged 17.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.2 APG. As the news continues to pour in, Daryl Morey appears ready to be very active come draft night and the start of free agency on June 30th.