76ers Rumors: Playing Fact or Fiction with Latest Buzz Ahead of NBA Free Agency
The Philadelphia 76ers are racing against the clock to construct an NBA championship contender around Joel Embiid and James Harden.
The good news is the Sixers already have their stars, which is the hardest part of the process. The bad news is those stars cost a metric ton of money, which limits Philly's options as it probes for upgrades.
With the rumor mill heating up ahead of free agency opening, let's sift through the chatter to separate fact from fiction.
Sixers Exploring Matisse Thybulle Trades?
When the Sixers swapped out Ben Simmons for Harden at the trade deadline, they became woefully short on stoppers and figured to lean on Matisse Thybulle as heavily as possible.
Turns out, that wasn't much. Come playoff time, the 25-year-old's offensive limitations nearly rendered him unplayable. His floor time dropped more than 10 minutes from his regular-season allotment (25.5 to 15.2), and he only posted a positive plus/minus once in nine games.
It comes as no surprise, then, to hear the Sixers are shopping Thybulle with the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks being "most often mentioned" as suitors, per B/R's Jake Fischer.
Verdict: Fact. If there is trade interest in Thybulle—given his age and defensive impact, there should be—then the Sixers are smart to explore it. They don't have many trade chips to dangle, but he could help them find something interesting.
Sacramento a Possibility for Tobias Harris Trade?
Trading Tobias Harris could help balance the budget, given his colossal contract and the fact that Harden's arrival and Tyrese Maxey's ascension dropped him to fourth on the offensive pecking order.
Getting off Harris' salary won't be easy, but Matt Moore of the Action Network reported the Sacramento Kings are "a possible landing spot" for the 29-year-old.
Sacramento is historically starved for success, so the franchise is probably exploring every win-now option available. Having said that, the Kings seem set at the forward spots with Harrison Barnes and No. 4 pick Keegan Murray, plus trading with the Sixers would surely require some win-now talent being shipped back to Philly in the trade.
Verdict: Not completely fiction, but Harris could be a wonky fit in Sacramento; and the Sixers are wonky fits as trade partners with the Kings.
Philly To Win P.J. Tucker Sweepstakes?
At some point, the aging curve will presumably catch up to P.J. Tucker, but that hasn't happened yet. He just gave the Miami Heat 70 games (plus 18 postseason outings) chock-full of high-intensity defense, veteran savvy and corner-three splashes.
The 37-year-old should be a target for every win-now shopper, but Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported he is expected to choose Philly's three-year, $30 million offer over pitches from the Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.
Three years feels like a long time for Tucker, but he hasn't shown signs of decline yet. And if he moves the Sixers closer to a championship now, that could be enough to offset any long-term financial hits.
Verdict: Mostly fact, although calling a race over before free agency starts seems a touch premature. Still, every arrow points to Philly being in pole position for Tucker.