Philadelphia 76ers
With as much uncertainty that is revolving around the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the start of training camp, you almost have to assume that general manager Daryl Morey is going to work hard to have a plan in place when James Harden either doesn’t report to camp or is traded just before the start of it. Either way, no matter which path is taken, it’s more than likely going to leave the Sixers in a difficult spot.
Let’s be perfectly honest; for as much of a headache as Harden is, the Sixers aren’t a contender with him off the roster. And with the expected return that the Sixers are going to get in any Harden deal, Philadelphia must make another deal in order to get the team back in a place where, at the very least, they’re competitive in the deep Eastern Conference.
Buddy Hield could be an interesting option for the Sixers after trading Harden. He may not be the playmaker that Harden is, but he can do some of that same scoring from the perimeter that Harden did. In fact, he’s easily a much more efficient scorer at this point in his career than Harden.
Hield won’t make the Sixers forget about Harden but he’d help them make up for his absence this season. And he may be the best realistic option on the table for Philadelphia right now.