Getty Tobias Harris #12, Tyrese Maxey #0, and James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
We’re just over four weeks away from the trade deadline, meaning it’s peak Philadelphia 76ers trade rumor season. And perhaps no player knows that reality better than Sixers forward Tobias Harris.
Since what feels like the moment the ink dried on his five-year, $180 million deal three summers ago, Harris’ contract has hung like an albatross around the front office’s neck. Since then, there have been myriad reports about Harris’ reported availability.
And according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, the Sixers have once again commenced feeling out league interest in Harris.
“[T]he one player that’s always had to adjust is Tobias Harris. Sometimes he gets ten or more shot attempts, a lot of times he doesn’t, but he’s the one who’s asked to sacrifice the most. So, with that being said, Philly has definitely, they have definitely taken calls on Tobias, that’s what I do know. I don’t think they’re actively trying to trade Tobias, but they’re open to listening. You know, this is Daryl Morey we’re talking about, you know, he’s one of the most creative guys we have at executing, you know, trades that may be complicated for most,” Haynes said on Friday.
Just after Christmas, Harris was reported to have garnered some interest from the Sixers’ division rivals New York Knicks. According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Knicks explored a deal for Harris earlier in December.
Prior to their winning streak – and subsequent losing streak – the Knicks had internally discussed the possibility of trading for Tobias Harris.
@IanBegley on the Knicks’ loss to the Sixers on Christmas, and what New York will do as the deadline nears: t.co/QE0KXQDGZD
Could Sixers Sell High on Harris, Tyrese Maxey?
Harris has settled into a nice spot with the Sixers this season. He’s managing 16.5 points per game on 38.6% shooting from three, up from last year’s rate. While Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, and Joel Embiid have all missed time with injuries, Harris has been one of the lone consistent players in Philadelphia’s rotation.
Though Harris might have upped his value this season, it’s still worth wondering whether Philadelphia should sell high on Harris ahead of the February trade deadline. By pairing his salary with Tyrese Maxey‘s promising upside, Philadelphia could land a potential superstar, forming the league’s newest “big three” in Philadelphia.
And in a trade proposed by NBA insider Bill Simmons, the Sixers do just that.
“I wonder if there’s a Philly trade (with the Washington Wizards),” Simmons said on his podcast Tuesday. “This is a good ‘who says no’: Maxey and (Tobias) Harris for Beal. And I think Philly would say no, even though if I told you you could have (Joel) Embiid, Harden, and Beal on the same team a year ago, that would’ve seemed insane.”
A Beal-Harden-Embiid triumvirate probably sounds tantalizing for Sixers fans. Given De’Anthony Melton’s rise as a defensive force, it at least offers the Sixers the flexibility of discussing trades involving Maxey, even if Maxey is a far better offensive player than Melton.
Embiid Takes Jab at Maxey After Injury Return
Maxey, for his part, is still playing himself back into form after missing a month with a foot injury. His first game back against the Pelicans was a predictable eyesore: he posted a minus-18 net rating in just under 19 minutes.
In a rematch against New Orleans shortly after, Maxey looked better, with a plus-12 net rating.
When speaking to the media following that Pelicans match, Embiid couldn’t help but take a jab at Maxey.
Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris get CLUTCH buckets to send the 76ers/Pacers game to OT 😱
“He’s been trash, but he’s getting better. Today was better than the first New Orleans game. He was really bad the first game. He’s getting better over time,” Embiid said, per Justin Grasso of Sports Illustrated.
At his best, Maxey is an explosive downhill and outside threat. But he’ll likely need more on-floor action before we see the pre-injury Maxey.