NBA Rumors: Kemba Walker Could Be Traded To Sixers To Form Big Three With Ben Simmons And Joel Embiid
Despite calls to break up their young superstar duo, the Philadelphia 76ers have decided to continue building around franchise cornerstones Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons this fall. Instead of giving up on the two stars, the Sixers added quality players who complement their game. With plenty of time before the start of the 2020-21 NBA season, the Sixers can still further solidify their core.
One of the players that they could target on the trade market is All-Star point guard Kemba Walker of the Boston Celtics. According to Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network, the Sixers could consider sending a package that includes Tobias Harris, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick to the Celtics in exchange for Walker. If the trade becomes a reality, Patuto believes that it would help both teams improve their rosters.
“In the trade, the Celtics would have to take on the contract of Tobias Harris from the Philadelphia 76ers but they would also get draft capital in return. This would allow them to use that in another deal in the future but could also help fill the void left behind by Gordon Hayward’s departure to the Charlotte Hornets. Walker has been dealing with injuries and will miss the first month of the upcoming season. Harris is a player who knows how to be the second or third option and will do it well for Boston.”
The proposed scenario would make a lot of sense for the Sixers as it would enable them to hit two birds with one stone. Aside from getting rid of Harris and his lucrative contract, it would also allow them to add another All-Star who would be a much better fit with Embiid and Simmons. Walker is still recovering from an injury, but once he returns to full health and regains his touch, he would be an incredible addition to the Sixers.
Walker would give them a very reliable scoring option, and be an incredible playmaker and a legitimate threat from three-point range. Last season, the 30-year-old floor general averaged 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. Walker may be a defensive liability, but pairing him with Simmons and Embiid could help the Sixers hide his major weakness.
If Walker forms the right chemistry with Embiid and Simmons, the Sixers could have their own “Big Three” which would give them a better chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the 2020-21 NBA season.
