With free agency still two days away, rumors about P.J. Tucker landing in Philadelphia continue to percolate. After Marc Stein reported earlier in the week that multiple executives believe the Sixers will sign Tucker to a three-year, $30MM contract, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer conveys a similar sentiment today.
According to Pompey, three sources believe Tucker to the 76ers is a “done deal,” while a fourth source said he’d be shocked if the veteran forward doesn’t end up in Philadelphia. Sources tell Pompey that Tucker’s three-year deal with the Sixers, assuming it materializes, could be worth $27MM with incentives that increase the value to $30MM.
The Sixers still need to do some cap work in order to realistically make that kind of offer to Tucker. If James Harden turns down his $47MM+ player option and agrees to a lesser first-year salary on a new contract, the team could create the cap flexibility necessary to use its full mid-level exception on Tucker. But Harden is expected to opt in and then sign an extension, which means Philadelphia would have to shed some salary. Furkan Korkmaz ($5MM), Matisse Thybulle ($4.4MM), and Georges Niang ($3.5MM) are among the club’s potential trade candidates.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- The Knicks are considering converting Jericho Sims‘ two-way contract into a standard NBA deal, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. If that occurs, second-round pick Trevor Keels would likely receive a two-way pact. Both moves were considered likely as of Tuesday afternoon, Begley writes.
- Within the same story, Begley says he expects the Knicks to give strong consideration to re-signing Taj Gibson if they waive him this week as part of their cap-clearing efforts.
- The four-year, $48MM contract Robert Williams signed with Boston last fall is viewed by rival executives as a fair comparable for Mitchell Robinson, according to Steve Popper of Newsday, who suggests the Knicks likely wouldn’t want to go much higher than that to retain Robinson this summer.
- The Nets are expected to give David Duke a prominent role in summer league games next month and will give him an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in 2022/23, sources tell Chris Milholen of NetsDaily. Duke received a two-way qualifying offer from Brooklyn, as we relayed earlier today.
Like Duke. Want to see him succeed.
Sims is a solid center. Still getting better. Sign him, Yes.
Mitch has to step up. Become a better rebounder and scorer around the rim. Time for him to start hitting his ceiling.
For 3 yrs 30M, Sixers and Morey can have Tucker. Tucker has one good yr left….
As a Sixers fan I speak for all of us when I say we thank you for your permission.
You definitely are a Sixers fan. You like every single move the Sixers are rumored to make.
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Tucker has always been a Harden guy. Moreyon promised him a contract in Houston. But then Harden blew up. So Moreyon never payed Tucker. Then ran out the door behind Harden.
All this is three yrs late. Tucker is getting old. And Harden is a hasbeen. Moreyon is Moreyon……. Analytically DONE
Your grammar is as brutal as watching the horrendous and very mediocre Knicks struggle to stay relevant year after year after year after year…..
Ojdiddoit
Careful, Al will make you his next “project”, whatever that means.
You are just mad that after years of the shameful tanking “process”, the reign of the Sixers has already come to end and it’s time to rank again. Embid will look great in a Clippers uniform next year….
I’ll be interested to see if Tucker really gets that contract, makes more sense if it’s full taxpayer MLE, so as not to hard cap the team and force trades.
MIA can sign him for 8.4 mm to start (without using its MLE). If he’s going to Philly, then he had to have been promised the full MLE. Guys in his position (age and career earnings) don’t leave $$ on the table for the hell of it.