NBA Trade Rumors: 76ers' Tobias Harris emerge as popular deadline candidate?

NBA Trade Rumors: There's a growing sense around the league that Tobias Harris could emerge as one of the most sought-after players at the NBA Trade Deadline.

There's somewhat of an expectation that the Philadelphia 76ers are going to attempt to make a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline. After moving off of James Harden, the Sixers are now in a place where they could afford to pursue a star player to stick next to Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.

If they are to make such a move, it's pretty safe to assume that a player like Tobias Harris is going to be involved (due to his high-money salary). Interestingly enough, Harris could also be preparing to cash in one more time in free agency. Harris is in the final year of his contract with the Sixers and is primed to hit the free-agency market at the age of 31.

Naturally, it's easy to see why a trade may be what lies ahead for both the Sixers and Harris. And if so, there will likely be a strong market.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, there are "a lot of teams" that are keeping an eye on the Harris situation with the Sixers. From the sound of it, if he does become available ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, there will be a strong market for the veteran wing.

There's no guarantee the Philadelphia 76ers will trade Tobias Harris

It may have seemed like a foregone conclusion that Harris was going to be a trade candidate heading into the deadline for the Sixers. However, that kind of all changed once Harden was moved. Harris is having a huge bounce-back season and has played a vital role for the team as a starter this year.

Maybe the play of Kelly Oubre Jr. makes the Sixers more willing to trade Harris at the deadline but that's far from a guarantee. When it comes to the Sixers' on-the-court dealings, it's probably better for them to keep Harris on the roster heading into the playoffs. From a financial standpoint, it's probably best that they trade him.

It's unlikely that the Sixers are going to re-sign Harris during the offseason and it would make sense to try to get an asset for him before it's too late.

In the end, the Harris situation certainly deserves some monitoring. And it seems like there are many other teams in the league that are doing the same. There's a scenario where Harris becomes a highly sought-after player heading into the trade deadline.