Report: Mike D’Antoni likely to pick some of his own players for 76ers

If the Sixers hire Mike D’Antoni, he’s likely to pick some of his own players. Might that lead to a trade with his former team in Houston?

If the 76ers hire former Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni as their head coach (and he seems to be the clear frontrunner), the expectation is that he would be able to change Philadelphia’s roster by adding some of his own players, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

If that’s the case, it’s hard not to imagine at least some exploratory trade discussions between the Sixers and Rockets — since Houston’s roster has largely been shaped to D’Antoni’s liking for four years.

In a story published Sunday, Pompey writes:

According to multiple sources, Embiid is happy that he’ll face the basket instead of posting up in D’Antoni’s proposed five-out system. D’Antoni’s plan is to move Tobias Harris back to power forward. The Sixers will also make trades if he’s hired, according to reports. The expectation is that he’ll have a say in picking players for his freewheeling style of play.

If the D’Antoni plans to start Embiid and Tobias Harris in the frontcourt, that leaves no room for 6-foot-9 big man Al Horford — who will make $27.5 million next season. That’s a rather high price tag for a reserve. Houston GM Daryl Morey has shown interest in Horford in the past, though with Horford now 34 years old, it isn’t clear if that’s still the case.

As for D’Antoni, he’s spoken in glowing terms about Rockets guard Eric Gordon, and the Sixers could clearly use more volume 3-point shooting if they’re going to run D’Antoni’s preferred system. While Gordon’s salary of roughly $17 million for 2020-21 isn’t enough by itself for Houston to take back Horford (with the Rockets above the salary cap, they have to send out close to as much as they send in), it’s enough as a starting point to get in the ballpark, especially if additional teams are involved.

Known for his versatility on offense and defense, Horford averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 30.2 minutes last season.

That said, even if a Gordon-Horford deal is too financially challenging to pull off, there are certainly smaller options, as well. What makes sense may also depend on who the Rockets hire as D’Antoni’s successor, and what potentially fits best within that coach’s preferred system.

The Trade NBA website offers a trade machine to explore the various possibilities that are permissible within the league’s salary cap.

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