The Sixers‘ stance so far this offseason – as conveyed to multiple reporters – has been that Tyrese Maxey is off the table in trade talks, even for a superstar player. Discussing that subject on the latest Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon, and Tim Bontemps expressed some skepticism about just how untouchable Maxey really is.
“They want you to know that you can’t have Tyrese Maxey,” Windhorst said. “Prime Michael Jordan is available? Don’t call. 25-year-old LeBron James is available? Lose our number. Giannis Antetokounmpo says, ‘I want to be a Sixer’? If Tyrese Maxey is the ask, just keep walking. … I don’t trust them at all on that, but I will say to you that is what is being said.”
While the Sixers are by no means looking to move Maxey, ESPN’s trio believes the front office’s stance on the young guard would be more malleable than what’s been reported if the team has a legitimate chance to acquire a star, including perhaps Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard.
As Windhorst and Bontemps observe, while Philadelphia’s plan not to sign Maxey to a rookie scale extension is ostensibly about maximizing cap room in 2024, he would also be easier to trade if he’s not extended, since he wouldn’t be subject to poison pill provision rules in 2023/24.
Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes:
- Although he’s not reporting that any trade discussions have taken place with the Trail Blazers or that the Jazz will make a run at Lillard, MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective podcast that he has heard Utah is “intrigued by the possibility” of acquiring the All-Star guard, confirming previous reports. MacMahon, Windhorst, and Bontemps ultimately believe the Jazz aren’t ready to make significant deal for a win-now player who’s about to turn 33, but they note that Lillard has a connection to Utah, having played his college ball at Weber State, and the Jazz’s collection of future first-round picks would dwarf what Miami could offer.
- At the trade deadline, the Jazz‘s position was that Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Ochai Agbaji were their only players who were off the table in trade talks, according to MacMahon, who believes that if Utah did pursue a star this offseason, Markkanen and Kessler would be the only untouchables.
- Appearing on NBA TV (Twitter video link), Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel says the Heat are willing to discuss anyone except their two All-Stars as they negotiate a possible deal with Portland for Lillard, who wants to play in Miami. “Put it this way, they basically have loaded up one of those PODS dumpsters in front of the Trail Blazers and said, ‘Take anyone out of here you want besides Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler,'” Winderman said. “Maybe they’ll go back and forth on Caleb Martin a little, but it’s basically, sort of, ‘Come and pick and choose. Tell us what you want. Anything else is yours.’ The Heat are all-in on this. This is their moment. There’s a reason they didn’t go hard after Bradley Beal. There’s a reason they held off on some other moves. This is their play.”
They are saying Maxey isn’t available for superstars aged 30+ and/or with injury histories basically. Of the names that have had connections recently, Dame and KD, they aren’t trading Maxey. I think their view is that hes going to be a Fox or SGA type of player if they gave him the reigns.
Also, because of his contract, trading him also means you have to trade Tobias. And the goal of trading Tobias is to acquire at least 2 players – a starter and a quality bench piece. That won’t work out salary wise if you traded Maxey and Tobias and picks for player X Y Z. So you would have Embiid Dame and no one else.
And Windy is a little off base here and over exaggerating the point.
Prime MJ or LeBron doesn’t exist in this timeline.
Giannis doesn’t fit w Embiid and isn’t available. The Celtics or Mavs are trying to trade Tatum or Luka. Oh you won’t trade me Luka? Well guess what Maxey is untouchable too. See, that’s pointless to list all the players that are untouchable that you wouldn’t trade Maxey for.. and it Tatum or Luka are magically available now, Morey would change his stance.
As it stands today, there isn’t a potentially available player that he would trade Maxey for.
Also, why rock your own boat? Miami and Brooklyn have more assets to trade for Dame.
Clearly, it was hypothetically speaking
And Hypothetically speaking the Sixers are not trading a young guard who gets better every year for a 33 year old Dame who had 4 years left and is going to be making $60m a year by the end of it. I listened to the podcast and they were saying the Sixers should trade Maxey AND whatever they get for Harden all for Dame.
If you lose Maxey and everything you get for Harden after letting Milton and Niang go what do you have left? A team of Lillard, Melton, Embiid, Harris, and PJ Tucker with no bench or picks?
Exactly. That team doesn’t have enough.
Looking ahead to 2024… Sixers could have 66 to 77M in cap space.
Embiid, Maxey (13M CH), and Springer are the only locks. They could renounce everyone else. I can see them trying to keep Melton on a cheap multi-year deal to preserve as much cap space.
They could go out and target Siakam (UFA) and OG (PO) next year. Until they extensions happen, you also have guys like Dejounte Murray, Jaylen Brown, and to a lesser degree Patrick Williams (RFA) Cole Anthony (RFA). LBJ, PG13, Kawhi, and AD could also all opt-out – none of which I see in a Sixers uniform tho, lets be real.
But suppose they were able to get Maxey, Melton, OG, Siakam, and Embiid on the same roster. I really like that line-up.
Fill the bench out with decent role players. Use the MLE on a combo guard to push Melton to the bench.
If you’re so inclined to trade away everyone this year, you could technically trade for Dame, and just have Dame and Embiid on the roster next year and bring in another Max player. You don’t have a team, you have 2 start players with injury histories and an unknown 3rd.
Philly is just stuck right now. No way to win with James Harden on the roster. No way to move him to get enough value to win without him.
Philly fans will not forgive Harden for trade request. Don’t see how it works if he comes back. Not sure why the Clippers would still have an interest after signing Westbrook back.
If they can flip harden for some pieces that they can then flip to Portland for lliard. If only Clippers want harden they should trade him there. Problem is 76er GM thinks he can flip Harden for a all star which is not happening.
The heat of course want Lillard and Lillard wants the heat. We all get that but does portland want to accommodate?
Suspect for the heat to prevail they will need to lift their okc pick that is protected. Offer 3 firsts and two pick swaps. Allow any player but the two supers being butler and bam
The jazz likely stop at 3 picks and so would the nets. The nets aren’t really all that interested unless you take on Simmons. Can’t touch mikhal.
The jazz will say no touch Lauri and kessler and don’t have interest in reading their rookies or collins. Do the blazers really want sexton and tht? Jazz have extra cap so they can stop there but with Clarkson coming back he does what Dame does…he is on better contract.
So what does Dame do for the jazz besides cost more money ?
He can stretch the floor and sell tickets
Dame is the perfect for the jazz!
Not convinced the jazz are ready for Dame time!
The heat are ready for a big 3. They will build around that and it’ll be weird and still work.
The real opportunity is for the nets and jazz to collaborate. Or jazz and suns. What!
The suns can move ayton. Lots of ways to get portland to look at this. The first is to recognize how the owner help one another. No doubt the cba is changing how things are done but it was designed to serve the league and put owners first.
Okay say the Sixers trade Harden and Maxey for
Damian Lillard… then what?
Or trade Harris and Harden for Siamkam
then what?
If the Sixers stay the status quo
then what
The Sixers can make a move, but they are very limited and I am not sure if any of them work in the long run
Harden for Siakam straight-up is probably their best move, and I don’t think it’s a good one. Siakam doesn’t seem like he would fit well with Embiid in the first place. Not to mention Toronto isn’t making that trade unless they’re desperate. Harden will half-a** everything if he goes to a place he doesn’t want to.
Toronto would never do that.
Siakim and Embiid could coexist just fine. Embiid plays inside out and Siakim plays outside in so one could be on the perimeter and one inside at most times. Toronto isn’t going to trade for Harden though without additional compensation.
Lillard and Harden 24-7 until something breaks. Both will not get a title IMO.
Portland should prioritize 2023 lottery bigs, as future picks may not check that box. Walker is out of reach but Hendricks would be great. A team as young as Portland should be preparing for Wembanyama domination. Lively would a huge get though he may have to wait for a Grant trade (can they sign & trade?). Otherwise, next year’s lottery has a few good prospects.
Incredibly snarky and inflammatory comments by the ESPN crew about Maxey’s non-availability. Prime Michael Jordan, 25 year old Lebron James, and motivated Greek Freak are not on the table, a 33 year old guard who doesn’t play any defense and does not want to be in Philly and is owed $216 million to age out is. Perfectly understandable that they don’t want to include an ascendant, coachable 22 year old star and more for that.
Maxey is definitely an ascending player with the potential to be a future All-Star in the very near future.
Having said that, I would not consider him a Star. He has accomplished nothing yet.
19 ppg on 43% 3-point shooting and 3-1 assist-turnover ratio over the past two seasons. Not nothing.
If you consider that an accomplishment to warrant star status then Herro is an even bigger Star. 6th man of the year winner, back to back 20+ PPG seasons, career 38% 3pt shooter, avg’s of 5 RB and 3.5 assists per game.
I don’t consider Herro a star.
I’d take the +5% from deep and 3-1 turnover ratio of Maxey any day over what Herro brings to the court but neither is a star player yet. The biggest difference between the two imo is what you see is what you get with Herro, he’s hit his plateau while Maxey still some room to grow.
I agree. Maxey looks to be the more complete/overall player. But neither are stars.
Although I wouldn’t say Herro, both he and Maxey at 23 yrs old, has hit his plateau.
Maxey is off limits because there’s no free agent target close to Maxey’s age. Maxey is likely to play 2 to 3 times longer than any veteran guard they could get in a trade. In life there are certain truths. You can’t coach height and you can’t coach youth.
Would be like trading SGA for PG13, except… PG13 was 29 not 33, an above average defender, and a wing player. I am a big Dame fan, but he isn’t a good defender and is on the downside of his career, and owed a lot for what could be his least productive years. If the Sixers had made the deal several years ago Simmons + picks for Dame, different story.
I’m on board with trading Harden for expiring contracts and going after Siakam and OG in FA next year. A stout defensive team, with legit offensive weapons.
Stop it please ……. you’re hurting my ears lols. Sixers do t need Dame. They don’t have enough to get Dame. Any team who lets Moreyon run them to the ground. Doesn’t even deserve to discuss Dame.
The man deserves to go to Heat. Bam, Jimmy, Dame is the new Big Three.
Pat get it done. Find someone to take Herro. Sixers should be all over Herro. He’s better than a washed Harden …….. they find a taker for Herro. Then it’s a done deal.
Dame to the Heat …… let’s move on already
So how about this trade between Heat,Blazers,Nets and Raptors.
Miami gets: Dame, Thaddeus Young and Malachi Flynn
Brooklyn gets: Herro, Nurkic, Boucher, Caleb Martin and Jovic
Toronto gets: Lowry and Finley-Smith plus Miami 2 1st available (I believe they are ’28 and ’30)
Portland gets: Ben Simmons, OG Anunoby, Nic Claxton and 3 0r 4 1sts from Brooklyn.
I explained in another thread how that works financially for all parts involved (no one pass the tax line excepting Miami of course). I had also Cam Thomas going to Portland but some say Brooklyn not going for that while already giving up Claxton.
On the Raptors side I am based on the report that says that OG wants an outrageous extension (Jerami’s like) and Masai refuse to pay him that, so should be gone now or mid-season.
Do you think this is the best way to get Dame to Miami and Herro to the Nets?