NBA Free Agency Forecast: Could Tobias Harris Return to Sixers?

At last, Tobias Harris is expected to hit the free agency market for the first time since he re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.

At the time, Harris was Philly’s second major in-season trade acquisition, landing with the team amid a career year with the Los Angeles Clippers. Many expected Harris to have a crowded free agency market, generating max contract offers.

The Sixers were the ones to win the Harris sweepstakes at the time. In hindsight, their decision to lock Harris in long-term with a major payday for years to come made many believe the Sixers gave the forward one of the worst-value contracts in the league.

Harris established himself as a solid piece in the Sixers’ system, but he got paid a lot of money to be a third option. With an All-Star salary, Harris failed to live up to the hype his contract created. Therefore, the 31-year-old forward is unlikely to find a similar offer in his upcoming free agency.

Would the Sixers consider bringing Harris back on a different pay scale?

What Did Daryl Morey Say?

“Tobias for sure can be a contributing player on a contender,” said Sixers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey. “In terms of back, I give the same answer I just gave— we have interest in all our free agents. … you’re always trying to fit in as many good, solid players as you can given the CBA bucket that we’re given and it’s really not ‘does this player help?’ It’s ‘does this player help within the context of the CBA’ and whatever number they’re add, what constrains that creates for other positions you might want to help.”

The chances of Daryl Morey coming out and saying the Sixers would like to officially move on from Harris this summer were slim. The front office leader expressed belief in Harris as a contributor on a title-winning team, while publicly stating that he would like to run it back with last year’s squad, even though he knows change is inevitable.

As for Harris, he didn’t put any thought into whether or not the Game 6 loss at home against the Knicks was his final outing as a member of the Sixers. With free agency still over a month away, the veteran forward has plenty of time to think about his future with the 2024 playoffs in the rearview.

May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) and | Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Could Tobias Harris Return to the Sixers?

Harris’ contract often clouded judgment about his game. Across 378 games, Harris averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while knocking down 37 percent of his threes. He also improved defensively throughout his six-year run in Philly. He might’ve been overpaid, but he was a solid player for the most part.

With that said, both parties would benefit from a breakup. Harris went through many role changes on the Sixers, as he played under three different head coaches, and teamed up with many different players. He needs to find a team that will keep him in a stable role and solely focus on ways they can feature him.

As for the Sixers, they need to build their best roster around Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Clearly, Harris wasn’t right for the part. During the 2024 playoffs, Harris had his least impactful run with the Sixers in the postseason, averaging just nine points on 33 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Prediction: Harris finds a new home in free agency this summer.