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The Philadelphia 76ers have now won eight games in a row and have as much momentum as they have had all season. They most recently took down the New York Knicks 119-112 on Christmas Day in another convincing performance. Tobias Harris put forth another notable performance in the matchup and tallied 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks while shooting 9-15 from the field. The impressive effort also seemed to cement the attention of the Knicks as it was reported by Ian Begley of SNYtv just hours after there is interest from within the Knicks organization in trading for Harris.
As the New York insider stated, “The Knicks, at least talked internally about the idea of acquiring Tobias Harris via trade before their winning streak started. Obviously, Harris having a nice game against the Knicks on Christmas Day, Tom Thibodeau spoke highly of him before the game, so that’s just one name to keep an eye on…I know that he does has some fans within the organization,” per Ian Begley of SNYtv.
Does Harris Make Sense for the Knicks?
The Knicks are in an interesting spot as a franchise. They currently sit with a record of 18-16 on the season and are the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. New York has taken strides toward the contending category, as indicated by their addition of Jalen Brunson this offseason, but are still a significant move away from being mentioned with the NBA’s top dogs.
Harris does not quite fit the description as the player that could take them over the edge. He also would be somewhat redundant on the offensive end next to Julius Randle, although Harris has a much healthier shot diet overall in a lower usage role.
The Sixers forward is no stranger to hearing his name in rumors and has been traded four times already in his career. After landing in Philadelphia, he has struggled at times to be the perfect complement alongside Joel Embiid and the Sixers have searched for an upgrade in the past. His contract has been the most difficult hurdle to clear in a transaction as he is due $37.6 million this season as well as $39.3 million in 2023-24.
Matching salaries would be difficult for any team but especially on the Knicks roster. Brunson takes up the biggest portion of the cap and is due $27.7 million this year with Randle right behind him at $23.8 million on the season. Looking beyond this, Evan Fournier is set to make $18 million, Mitchell Robinson is due just over $17 million, and Derrick Rose is set to be paid $14.5 million. It would take stacking these contracts to reach Harris’ high-value deal and New York would have to be extremely motivated for this to occur.
Should the Sixers Trade Harris?
While at times the Sixers seemed to be heavily interested in dealing Harris, this has not seemed to be the case of late. The 30-year-old has made some notable changes to his game this season to fit the Sixers’ needs and the team has benefitted greatly. Through the first 28 games he has been active, Harris is averaging 17.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He has increased his three-point volume to 5.5 per game, which is the highest he has attempted with the Sixers, and is connecting at a 41.8% rate.
The Tennesse product also has been more decisive as 4.7 of his long-range attempts and 4.9 of his field-goal attempts are coming off the catch-and-shoot. This is a massive step forward for the 30-year-old as one of the biggest criticisms of Harris was the tendency to overdribble and slow down the offense. Connecting at this high rate from the perimeter, making quicker decisions, and taking on a greater defensive responsibility have made him a key part of this Sixers team.
While the level of play of Embiid and James Harden will be the biggest factor in the Sixers’ success, the team has been let down by the supporting cast in recent years. Providing the star duo with proper three-and-D pieces will be vital down the stretch. Harris looks to be capable of filling this role and also has stepped up in stretches during injury when asked to take on more responsibility.
Harris will always make more money than would ideally be the case for his role, but the veteran deserves a ton of credit for adapting to what is necessary to benefit the team. He will continue to be brought up in trade discussions as the highest-valued potential trade piece on the team, but he is more valuable to the team than he may be in trade talks.
It should not be ruled out that a deal involving Harris occurs. However, the Sixers are beyond just searching for a salary dump as Harris has maximized the Sixers in a way none of the Knicks’ potential trade pieces should be expected to be capable of. Stay tuned for more news regarding a potential Harris trade as the deadline inches closer, but don’t start printing his name on Knicks jerseys just yet.
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