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We are now officially less than one month away from the NBA trade deadline. Some deals have already come about, and more are likely on the way. As Feb. 10 rapidly approaches, all eyes are on Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers.
After a months-long saga, the deadline will be the ultimatum of what to do with Ben Simmons. Morey can either trade the three-time All-Star for the best package available or remain patient into the offseason. He has done all he can to wait for the right move to surface but will soon be tasked with making a tough decision.
With Joel Embiid currently playing at an otherworldly level, there has to be some pressure to get a deal done. As we know, Morey is eyeing an All-Star-caliber player in return for Simmons to pair alongside the All-Star center for his prime seasons. With little traction on the trade front thus far, new reports show the longtime executive is starting to up the ante.
In a recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears cited the Sixers have started to attach Tobias Harris in trade discussions involving Simmons. This is the first time rumblings have emerged of Philly possibly moving on from the 29-year-old forward.
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While Harris has had a bit of a down year thus far, adding him to a Simmons trade is not the answer. In reality, it might actually make Morey's job harder to get the end result he is looking for.
The first thing that stands out about this idea is the financial aspect. Trading one max-level contract is hard enough, let alone two. Simmons and Harris make close to $70 million combined this season, and their price tag is only going to increase. To move off both contracts in one move, it will take an array of teams and moving pieces.
Value is the next area to look at when breaking down a move of this magnitude. Teams have been reluctant to put high-level talent on the table for Simmons, and right now, the same likely goes for Harris. Between his slight dip in production and being on a max contract, it seems doubtful Morey gets offered anything of good value.
With a guy like Morey running the show for the Sixers, no outcomes are left off the table. He has shown on multiple occasions he is not afraid to swing seismic deals in an attempt to increase championship odds. That said, pairing a disgruntled All-Star and someone having a roller-coaster season in a trade isn't getting the Sixers closer to rising up the Eastern Conference standings.
Because of the circumstances and money involved, a deal of this type seems highly unlikely. Morey is better off pursuing other avenues with the deadline looming.
