NBA Rumors: Rockets' P.J. Tucker 'Would Relish' Joining Sixers
For months, the Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly engaging in trade talks with the Houston Rockets. As former Houston General Manager Daryl Morey joined forces with the Sixers this past offseason, he attempted to bring his former favorite player James Harden over to the City of Brotherly Love with him.
As we know now, the Rockets couldn't bear to send Harden to Philly to link up with Morey again. Therefore, they struck a deal, which sent Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, leaving the Sixers empty-handed for the time being.
The good news is that the Sixers fared well without the blockbuster trade. Through 36 games, the Sixers remain in first place within the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break. However, they're not a finished product.
Like all playoff-competitive teams, the Sixers could use a few tweaks and upgrades -- and it sounds like Daryl Morey is taking a trip down memory lane once again as he reportedly attempts to snag P.J. Tucker from his former team.
The Sixers are among six teams inquiring about Tucker. Recently, several anonymous executives mentioned they believed Tucker would end up in Philly when it's all said and done. While Tucker could land with the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, or the Milwaukee Bucks -- Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report has reported that Tucker would "relish" joining the Sixers.
“The landscape for dealing P.J. Tucker appears much greener. The Bucks, Nets, Heat, Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets have all expressed interest, sources said. Tucker would relish joining Philadelphia and former Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, and the Sixers are one of the few contenders with real picks at their disposal."
Tucker, 35, hasn't done much for the Rockets this season. In 32 games, he's averaged under five points while shooting just 31-percent from three. By the looks of it, many contending teams are willing to bet Tucker is having a down season on a team that's hardly giving veteran players motivation to play better.
Perhaps, a change of scenery could help Tucker, who averaged nearly seven points-per-game last year while draining 35-percent of his threes, which is around his career average. The Sixers could use a guy like Tucker to backup Tobias Harris, but it might cost them a second-rounder for the veteran. Knowing that Tucker would embrace a trade to the Sixers could help make Morey's job easier.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.
