Sixers Proposed Trade Lands Former NBA Champion

Getty Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks fouls Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After falling short in the postseason, the Philadelphia 76ers are eager to re-shuffle the deck. Daryl Morey drastically changed the roster on draft night 2020 and could be looking to pull a similar stunt two years later. Leading up to the NBA Draft, reports have come out that the Sixers are shopping Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and the 23rd overall pick.

With all the trade buzz in the air right now, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer put together some potential frameworks for the Sixers. In one instance, they send Tobias Harris and Shake Milton to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kevin Love and Caris LeVert.

The Cavs probably aren’t nearly as desperate to shed Love’s contract as they were before this season. And any interest in Harris might be contingent on them moving fellow power forward Lauri Markkanen. But Cleveland is also at a point where a veteran swingman like Harris could make sense, both as a locker-room leader and a second or third scoring option.

After a rough couple of years with the Cavs, Kevin Love turned a new leaf this season. He appeared in his most games since 2015-16 (74) and posted averages of 13.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG while shooting 39.2% from beyond the arc. Love was named a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year but fell short to Miami’s Tyler Herro.

Sixers Checking Multiple Boxes

From the Sixers’ perspective, a trade like this makes perfect sense. Both players can fill key roles on the roster right now. That being volume shooting and bench scoring. Love also gives the Sixers some optionality in the frontcourt.

Throughout his career, Caris LeVert has often been utilized as a super-sub. The 27-year-old played 58 games with the Pacers and Cavaliers this season and averaged 17.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 4.3 APG. LeVert’s ability to create for himself and score in bunches makes him an ideal go-to option when Tyrese Maxey and James Harden are on the bench.

As one of the worst teams in the league in terms of three-point attempts per game, the Sixers could greatly benefit from having a willing shooter from beyond the arc. On top of hitting over 39% of his threes, Love got up just over six attempts per game. Adding him to the mix would give Embiid a reliable kick-out option as a frontcourt partner.

Daryl Morey Continuing to Work The Phones

As time winds down until the start of the NBA Draft, Daryl Morey continues to explore all of his options. In his latest news dump, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer cited the Sixers are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for defensive standout Matisse Thybulle.

Philadelphia has continued to explore Tobias Harris trade packages. The Sixers have called a healthy portion of teams to gauge the value for each of Harris, Danny Green and Matisse Thybulle, sources said, and have called several teams specifically searching for a first-round pick in exchange for Thybulle as part of a three-team deal framework to land an impact veteran rotation player.

One veteran player the Sixers might have their sights on is P.J. Tucker. After turning down his player option with the Miami Heat, the 37-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent.