Tobias Harris‘ large contract makes his future with the Sixers uncertain, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice, who takes a deep dive into what the team should do with the veteran forward.
Neubeck notes that Harris, who will make $37.63MM in 2022/23 and $39.27MM in ’23/24, has roughly twice the salary of other productive NBA starters, limiting the team’s financial flexibility. Harris also saw his offensive role reduced following the trade for James Harden, becoming more of a complementary spot-up shooter.
In 73 regular season games, Harris averaged 17.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 3.5 APG on .482/.367/.842 shooting. He had a nice postseason run, playing improved defense while averaging 16.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.1 SPG on .500/.386/.864 shooting in 12 games.
As Neubeck writes, Harris is paid like a star, but produces more like a high-end starter. Ultimately, Neubeck believes the most likely outcome is that the Sixers will hold onto Harris through next season, at which point his expiring contract in ’23/24 could make him more valuable.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- In a separate article for PhillyVoice, Neubeck thinks the Sixers will stand pat on draft night and select a player who can step into an immediate rotation role with the No. 23 pick. However, he notes that things change quickly in the NBA, so that outcome isn’t set in stone by any means. Neubeck states that Danny Green, whose name has been floated in trade rumors, underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL roughly two weeks ago.
- Within the same piece, Neubeck says that “talk has picked up some” that forward T.J. Warren, an unrestricted free agent this summer, could receive a relatively large, one-year, $10+MM “prove-it” deal from a rebuilding club. Warren has played just four games over the past two seasons, so the injury concerns are obvious. If he’s unable to land such a deal, Neubeck thinks the Sixers and other contending clubs will likely pursue Warren and try to sell him on rebuilding his value on a short-term deal, similar to what happened with Victor Oladipo in Miami.
- Free agent point guard Grant Riller has a workout scheduled with the Sixers later this week, a source tells our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Riller spent time on two-way contracts with Philadelphia and Charlotte the past couple seasons. The 25-year-old was waived by the Sixers in December when he injured his shoulder, which required surgery, but he’s fully recovered now.
- Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams could be an intriguing option if he’s still available at No. 23, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s big board and averaged 18 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG on .513/.396/.809 shooting for the Broncos in ’21/22.
Is James Harden un-tradeable at this point (outside of taking back a bad contract)?
I like the team, but he’s not the guy.
It depends
If Harden signs true value contract at 4 year $100 million, he is tradable
If signing market contract 4 year 160 million contract。then Westbrook has more trade value than Harden
It’s a big mistake to acquire Harden because 76ers players values are 3 times worse than two years ago
Comparison
Butler + Simmons + Horford + 15 available draft picks
Danny Green + old Harden
Tobias & Danny to LAL for Russ & Wenyen Gabriel. Gives Philly extreme cap relief next season wiping Tobias’ $40M off the books. Gives them the best 3guard ro in the league easy. Losing Tobias leaves a hole at forward especially after losing Ben at the deadline. They could look to reunite with Thad Young or another similar vet but Mattise & Niang would both definitely have to step up…. whoever gets Warren will be getting a big time scorer. I could see him preferring a 1yr deal so that he can get a huge deal if/when he plays great this yr. He’ll definitely get multiple longterm offers too tho
If Harden/Westbrook didn’t work in Houston when they were still in their primes why would it work now when there both starting to decline?
They worked great together lol man yall have horrible memories. And obv Joel Embiid is the extremely obvious reason they’d be even better in Philly
I’d rather have Tobias than Westbrook personally. He’s a good role player, be it an overpaid one
He’s got an extra yr for $40M left on his deal tho. Also Russ would be an even better role player
I just don’t see the role for Russ in Philly with Harden and Embiid. Tobias fits better. Truly he’d be fine if he made 15-20 million less.
I have suggested a Tobias-for-Love trade for about as long as I used to for a Love-for-Mccollum trade. It depends on what goes along with Love but there’s about a $0 to $10m opening to match salaries. So, add Osman, Okoro, or Windler, or— Levert or Markannon if Tobias is added to.
Philly will never tire of finding Tobias inadequate, nor Doc Rivers in finding Paul Reed at all (lol) but Tobias could play the three and get more shots in CLE. PHL needs what they wanted from Horford. Go Cavs!
If the Cavs can sign Sexton, Lavert is extra, and Siers have many fine cheap pieces I like.
1) Sign Sexton & Rubio.
2) Trade Love + Lavert for Harris + something of a variety of small pieces, in order of $: Korkmaz, Niang, Thybulle, Millsap, Milton, Joe, Reed, Bassey, the #23. (IDK Springer and assume Maxey is a keeper.) Getting Niang might make up for Utah getting Clarkson, ha.
New life for Love! He did come back. Lavert could be a starter if healthy.
I don’t think they move Tobias because it’s too hard to find a better, or even equivalent, player to replace him. That said Dallas and Portland would be my best guesses as to destinations that could be interested if all their other plans to get a 4 fall through.
Mavs could use Dwight Powell’s expiring $11M contract and either Tim Hardaway or Davis Bertans + Josh Green to try and acquire Tobias Harris, but not sure a year early of some cap relief would be enough to satisfy Dallas. Mavs would probably not want to include Kleber’s expiring contract because they like to often play offense 5 out. Harris would be a great fit for them, though.
typo: enough to satisfy *Philly*
Agreed, Philly would fight to get Bullocks and Kleber back in the deal, as they need 2 starting caliber role players back in a Harris deal for it to be worth it.
Yeah, and there’s no way Dallas is coughing up Bullock. It will be interesting if Philly tries to find an equitable trade where they have to take back slightly less talent back in order to move off Harris’s contract … or if they just want to shed the entire contract completely and try to work with a rebuilding team that has cap space and expiring contracts (ala OKC type). If I’m Philly, I’d be inclined to just continue to ride it out with Harris, understanding that he’s a bounce back candidate and it will be easier to move him in future years. Unless they are planning on plugging Niang in the starting line up or getting a free agent on the bargain bin (like Bjelica/Thaddeus Young), it’s hard to see a trade without them “robbing Peter to pay Paul”.
10M for Warren, who hasnt played in 2 years? Yea okay. Idk if anyone is using their full MLE on him.