Mock Trade Sends Tobias Harris to Pacers for Veteran Sharpshooter
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The NBA trade market started red hot this offseason. With training camp quickly approaching, many teams seem to be settled in with their rosters for the time being. Therefore, the market has simmered down and likely won't pick back up until the season starts.
The Philadelphia 76ers made a handful of moves this offseason with multiple signings from the free agency market. Regarding trades, they struck one deal during the 2022 NBA Draft to land De'Anthony Melton from the Memphis Grizzlies.
For the time being, the Sixers aren't involved in any notable trade talks, but Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey suggests they should look into one blockbuster deal at some point in the near future.
The Mock Scenario
Listing one trade idea for every NBA team as training camp approaches, Bailey believes that a swap of shooters between the Sixers and the Indiana Pacers could benefit both organizations.
In the mock scenario, the Sixers would trade Tobias Harris, along with a 2028 first-round pick swap and an additional 2029 first-rounder in exchange for the veteran sharpshooter, Buddy Hield.
In short, Bailey believes that the Sixers could check two key boxes in this deal by getting off of Harris' contract and landing a talented and proven three-point scorer.
"The Indiana Pacers have enough cap space to absorb the difference in Tobias Harris and Buddy Hield's salaries, so this trade would drop the Philadelphia 76ers well below the luxury-tax threshold (they're currently over it). But you can justify this deal from a basketball standpoint, too.
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For a team on the title contenders' tier (or at least close to it), more financial flexibility and the ability to surround Harden-Embiid pick-and-rolls with the outside shooting of Hield and two more above-average floor-spacers is worth a pick swap and a way-in-the-future first."
Deal or no Deal?
Three years into Harris' max contract with the 76ers, the veteran forward is clearly struggling to live up to his $30-plus million salary. That's not to say Harris has been a total bust for the Sixers — but he's getting paid All-Star money without an All-Star appearance in his career.
Still, the Sixers shouldn't move on from Harris for financial reasons. Over the last couple of seasons, Harris has proven to be a reliable complementary piece to Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid and the former Philly guard, Ben Simmons.
While Harris' numbers took a dip last season as Tyrese Maxey emerged as a legitimate No. 2 option and James Harden arrived more than midway through the year, Harris still averaged 17 points while shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Hield is an intriguing prospect for the Sixers. For a team that was starved for three-point shooters prior to the 2020-2021 season, Daryl Morey and the Sixers' front office prioritized adding three-point threats to surround Embiid.
When it comes to shooting from deep, Hield is clearly the better player compared to Harris, as he's averaged nearly 40 percent from three throughout his career.
However, Harris offers more versatility on offense and continues to improve on the defensive end as well. Unless the Sixers grow desperate for a high-volume three-point shooter, they shouldn't look to get rid of a reliable complementary piece in their starting lineup, along with offloading more draft assets for a player like Hield.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
