Sacramento Kings
- Philadelphia Receives – Buddy Hield, Nemanja Bjelica, Dewayne Dedmon, Yogi Ferrell
- Sacramento Receives – Tobias Harris, Jonah Bolden, Trey Burke, Philadelphia’s 2022 1st round pick (Lottery protected)
Why Sacramento does it
The Kings have tried time and time again to be competitive but still struggle to rise out of the cellar. They are not seen as a marquee free agent destination but they have youthful talent. Adding a player via trade could be their best path to relevance. Harris is the type of talented player needed to shoot up their stock. Sacramento would miss Hield’s shooting but Harris is a great shooter in his own right. The team would also have a larger role for Bogdan Bogdanovic who, since he has started over Hield.
Sacramento would also have an opportunity to rid themselves of Dewayne Dedmon who requested a trade earlier this season. A disgruntled veteran is never good for a young team so moving on from Dedmon may be in the King’s best interest. While they would be losing some size, Richaun Holmes should be returning soon and Marvin Bagley III should be playing Center anyway. All this and a 1st round pick never hurts.
Why Philadelphia does it
The Sixers would gain a premium shooter in Buddy Hield, he is the primary return. Hield would be a great fit next to Simmons as a player who can either catch and shoot or create offense in the half-court. Like Harris, Hield is in the midst of his prime, there is plenty of time for Hield to develop chemistry with the team also as he was signed to a four-year $106-million extension.
Nemanja Bjelica is the secondary prize in this trade. A floor-spacing big, think of Bjelica as a slightly worse Davis Bertans. Bjelica could either serve as the starting Power Forward or provide quality minutes off the bench for the Sixers. The Sixers should be looking to add as much shooting as possible and Bjelica fits the bill. He is also an underrated facilitator, he would be helpful moving the ball to prevent the offense from stalling.
Dewayne Dedmon would serve a similar purpose to Ian Mahinmi except Dedmon is more talented. A physical defender/rebound, Dedmon has also shown an ability to shoot from behind the arc. The Sixers again need a quality backup behind Embiid and getting one who can space the floor is all the better. Yogi Farrell is essentially a throw-in for salary matching purposes but he could also provide scoring off the bench replacing Trey Burke.
Chicago Bulls
- Philadelphia Receives – Otto Porter, Kris Dunn, Denzel Valentine, Chicago’s 2020 1st round pick (Lottery protected, unprotected 2021), Chicago’s 2022 1st round pick (Swap)
- Chicago Receives – Tobias Harris, Trey Burke, Jonah Bolden, Philadelphia’s 2022 1st round pick (Right to Swap)
Why Chicago does it
The Bulls seem to be a piece or two away from being a playoff team, not a contender but they’re young, that will come. Chicago is not necessarily undesirable for free agents nor is it desirable. The Bulls are also facing the issue that is Otto Porter’s contract. Porter is owed over $28-million next season and could keep Chicago from netting the type of players who could actually contribute, a player like Tobias Harris. Having Harris on-board for the next four and a half years would add some much-needed stability to the team.
Harris could be a perfect fit at the Small Forward next to Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. Chicago would have incredible shooting potential plus the ability to make a playoff push this season. They most likely wouldn’t make it out of the first round but the experience would be beneficial for all of the young talent Chicago has.
Trey Burke would also provide some valuable bench talent and could help groom Coby White into the offensive force he’s expected to become.
Why Philadelphia does it
This is all about the medium-term/long-term. Yes, the Sixers would receive a decent three-and-D player in Porter but the timing of his contract is very important. The free-agent class of 2021 is supposed to be loaded with names like: LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, and many more highly touted names. With Porter being a free agent in 2021 the Sixers would be free of his contract leading hopefully to the ability to sign one of those top-shelf free agents.
The Sixers would also land a pair of young role players in Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine. Dunn would fill the need for a backup point guard providing valuable defense and play-making ability. According to Porter, Dunn is also quite the vocal leader which can only help this Sixers team. Valentine would be a nice scoring wing to bring off the bench. He has had his share of injuries in his short career but there is some talent in him.
Finally, the Sixers would restore some of the draft capital they lost when they initially traded for Harris. If this trade were to happen the odds of the Bulls making the playoffs would greatly increase meaning there is a good chance that a lottery-protected pick would convey this year. The Sixers do not currently have a 1st round draft pick so to not only have one, but one that is in the 15-20 range would be fantastic.
The Sixers would also have the right to swap draft picks in 2022 with the Bulls. The Bulls will likely be more competitive than they are now but even still, the right to swap picks is always a plus.
Final Word
The Sixers have some tough decisions to make before the trade deadline is over, trading Harris is one of those decisions. If the do not trade Harris by the deadline the option is still available to trade him during the offseason. Harris is a good player, he adds value to this team. It may be a shame but he adds more value though in a trade.
If you can think of any more reasons why the Sixers SHOULD or SHOULDN’T trade Harris be sure to leave a comment. Whether now or later, Tobi is likely on the move.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
