Sixers trade target PJ Tucker and the Houston Rockets have agreed to part ways. Is it time for Tucker to come to Philadelphia?
The Houston Rockets have lost 14 games in a row and have now entered the stage of a rebuild where they will shed the contracts of their vets either by trade or buyout. The first and most important name (excluding Victor Oladpio) is PJ Tucker.
Tucker and the Rockets have mutually agreed to part ways though not immediately. The team will try and trade Tucker and if a deal cannot be struck they will buy him out so he may join a contender. There is a long list of contenders who would be interested but the major players would be the Nets, the Heat, the Lakers, and of course, the Sixers.
Now the Sixers were left off the list of interested contenders on a report by Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon but that certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. Daryl Morey just might not be showing his hand yet.
The Sixers are actually in a particularly good position to land Tucker as they can do so easily either via trade or if he’s bought out. Thanks to the $8.2 million trade exception the Sixers acquired in the Al Horford trade, the team can add Tucker without having to give up any players.
Ideally, Tucker hits the open market and decides to come to Philly but that’s by no means a guarantee. The Lakers are likely the most enticing team other than the Sixers though they have their eyes reportedly set on Andre Drummond or DeMarcus Cousins. Brooklyn could be an attractive landing spot but now that they’ve added Blake Griffin is there room at the PF/C position? Plus, would Tucker want to reunite with James Harden?
If the Sixers wanted to simply skip ahead and ensure they add Tucker to the roster they could easily do so by attaching a second-round pick to the trade exception mentioned earlier. The Rockets were initially seeking three second-round picks or a first but they quickly found out that was far from realistic. If it looks like they will have to release Tucker they rather get a second-round pick than nothing but it also depends on if the Sixers think they can land him without giving anything up.
Tucker is an obvious fit not just on the Sixers’ roster but in the city of Philadelphia. His toughness and grit would make him an instant fan favorite and even though he is currently on an expiring deal, he would certainly be someone the team would consider bringing back next season.
