The 2021-22 NBA season has been a whirlwind for the Philadelphia 76ers so far, but with the All-Star break ending in a matter of days, it seems like there is finally a sense of stability within this organization.
After months of dealing with the Ben Simmons drama, the 76ers finally got what they wanted at the trade deadline, trading Simmons, along with Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, to the Brooklyn Nets for former league-MVP James Harden.
Now, the 76ers not only have one of the best guards in the league, but they have arguably the best player in the league this season in Joel Embiid, who is currently the favorite to win the MVP award this season.
Philadelphia is currently 35-23 on the season and they are just 2.5 games back from the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls for first place in the Eastern Conference.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Key Predictions Around NBA After All-Star Break
Claiming the 1-seed last season, the Philadelphia 76ers failed to advance past the Eastern Conference Semifinals and anything short of the NBA Finals would be a major disappointment for this franchise once again.
The MVP duo of Harden and Embiid seems like it will be enough firepower for the 76ers to finally reach their goals, but should they fail to reach the NBA Finals or fail to win the title this year, Daryl Morey and this front office could once again hit the drawing board in search of another star player to pair with their two All-Stars.
There was talk leading up to the trade deadline that the 76ers were not only looking to trade Ben Simmons but possibly include Tobias Harris in a deal as well. The 29-year-old Harris has been having a really solid year as the No. 2 option on this team next to Embiid, but he is owed close to $113 million through the 2023-24 season.
Dumping Tobias Harris’ salary in the offseason is still very much an option for the 76ers and could be the avenue that leads them to add another star-like talent to their roster, forming one of the NBA’s best trios.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Key Predictions Around NBA After All-Star Break
ESPN’s Zach Lowe stated on his recent podcast that there’s a theory around the league that James Harden will decline his player option for next season, re-sign with the 76ers at a smaller rate, and then the 76ers will look to get rid of Tobias Harris in order to have room to bring in another max-contract type of talent.
It is definitely a long shot to think about at this point in the 2021-22 season, but here are three intriguing options for the Philadelphia 76ers to target in the offseason as a “third star” on their roster.
