The James Harden trade saga has ended precisely four months since he opted in and requested a trade. Coincidentally, this is also the same time of year he was traded from Oklahoma City to Houston 11 years ago. He’s now been moved so many times, the first trade can’t just be referred to as “The Harden trade” anymore.
The Sixers are now projected to generate $56 million in 2024 cap space after offloading PJ Tucker‘s $11 million for next season. This projection factors in them renouncing all cap holds except for Tyrese Maxey’s $13 million hold. This would allow them to spend $56 million and then go over the cap to re-sign Maxey for up to the maximum. They could also keep De’Anthony Melton’s $15.2 million hold and still have $42 million in room.
While the cap space route sounds promising, it is currently a backup plan. The Sixers will do everything they can to improve the roster now and maximize their title odds for Joel Embiid every season, including this one. Expect them to pursue players that complement the roster and fit long-term between now and the trade deadline. Taking care of their business now could also be more advantageous for team building.
For example, the Sixers would need to renounce Tobias Harris’ Bird rights to utilize cap space next summer. But if they acquire players they desire primarily using expiring contracts of players they don’t plan on re-signing, that would negate the need for cap space. They could then re-sign such players with Bird rights like Harris and potentially pursue others with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
They can now offer up to three first-round picks, four second-round picks, and three first-round pick swaps in trades. According to Wojnarowski, the Sixers believe they have enough assets to offer a package comparable to what the Celtics traded for Jrue Holiday. That makes sense considering Holiday was traded for two first-round picks and Robert Williams III, who has the value of at least one first-round pick.
We’re only a week into the regular season and it’s far too early to tell which players will become available for trade. The Sixers should be able to match salaries for just about any player with their several large expiring contracts. Here are some players that could get linked to them in the coming months.