In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around Tobias Harris and his future with the Philadelphia 76ers . With his failure to live up to expectations from the massive contract he signed in the summer of 2019, most people believe the Sixers would be better off getting rid of him , as they did Al Horford last offseason. One potential trade partner for the Sixers in a deal involving Harris could be the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a recent article, Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network discussed a hypothetical deal between the Sixers and the Thunder involving Harris. In the proposed scenario, Philadelphia would send a package that included Harris, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for George Hill, Trevor Ariza, and Darius Miller.
“Just like the 76ers did with Al Horford, they could send Tobias Harris to the Thunder as a contract dump. In return, they would get some veteran players that would add depth to their lineup. George Hill would serve as a backup to Simmons and give the team a spark off the bench. Point guard depth was a problem for Philadelphia during the NBA postseason when they were swept by the Boston Celtics. Trevor Ariza is another player who can provide strong minutes and contribute on both ends of the floor.”
Though it would cost them two future draft assets, the suggested deal would make a lot of sense for the Sixers. Aside from dumping Harris’ massive salary, they would also be receiving two quality veterans in Hill and Ariza who would support Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Hill and Ariza may no longer be in their prime, but they remain reliable contributors on both ends of the floor.
Both veterans could boost the Sixers’ second unit. Hill could serve as a primary backup for Simmons at the point guard spot, while Ariza could step up and man the wing position when Danny Green needs to rest or if he suffers an injury.
The proposed scenario would be a no-brainer for the Thunder. As compensation for absorbing Harris’ lucrative deal, they would be adding more future draft assets to their collection. Harris would be another intriguing project for the rebuilding Thunder as well. Like with Chris Paul, the Thunder could help Harris revive his NBA career and prove to everyone in the league that he could still be useful to a title-contending team.
If things go well in his first season in Oklahoma City, the Thunder could once again flip Harris into assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process.