The Philadelphia 76ers have some major questions to answer this NBA offseason. Atop that list is what to do with James Harden?
Harden was acquired by Philadelphia at the trade deadline, along with Paul Millsap, in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two future first-round draft picks. Daryl Morey had visions of Harden pushing the 76ers over the top and becoming champions, but they fell short of those aspirations.
The 76ers were eliminated in the second round of the postseason for the fourth time in five years. They were unable to overcome the Miami Heat as Joel Embiid dealt with a multitude of injuries and Harden was unable to raise his game to compensate for the loss.
It is highly unlikely anything is done with Harden, as opting into his contract for the 2022-23 season is the probable outcome. Instead, Morey and the front office need to focus on how they can upgrade the rest of the roster.
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Atop their to-do list is finding more 3-and-D players. This postseason, Danny Green was the only one they could count on in that regard, but he will likely not be helping them next season. He suffered a torn ACL in a collision with Embiid in Game 6 against the Heat.
There isn’t anyone on the roster currently that can step into that role. Shake Milton is more of a backcourt player with George Niang gave the team nothing as a 3-point shooter, making 16 percent of his attempts from long-range against the Heat. Furkan Korkmaz has also struggled in his postseason career, making 31.9 percent in 30 games.
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The Philadelphia 76ers were hopeful that Matisse Thybulle could fill that role, but he brings virtually nothing to the table offensively. He wasn’t someone that the team could count on despite his elite defensive measurables.
Could Philadelphia flip him for a more established asset? One player that would fit the bill of what the 76ers are looking for is Lu Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Would Thybulle and a 2022 first-round pick, should the Nets defer taking the selection until 2023, get the job done?
Dort is an excellent defender that the Philadelphia 76ers need on the wing. His 33.2 percent 3-point percentage leaves a lot to be desired, but that efficiency could improve with a better supporting cast around him.
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Oklahoma City may have no interest in flipping Dort at this time even as he enters the final season of his contract. But, always interested in acquiring draft picks, that could be enough for them to pull the trigger on a deal.
If the Oklahoma City Thunder believe they can transform Thybulle into a more useful player offensively, this is a no-brainer deal for them to make. If Philadelphia cannot work out a deal for Lu Dort, they will have to scour the free-agent market, where Gary Harris and Danuel House Jr. were mentioned as possible targets.