For months, the Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly engaged in trade talks with the Houston Rockets. As Daryl Morey, a former General Manager at Houston, has joined the Sixers in the past, he has sought out his favorite player to pass James Harden over to the City of Brotherly Love with him.
As we now know, the Rockets were unable to send Harden ‘s behavior to Philly to reconnect with Morey. So they struck a deal, which Harden sent to the Brooklyn Nets, leaving the Sixers without hands right now.
The good news is that the Sixers did well without the big trade. Through 36 games, the Sixers remain in first place within the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break. However, they are not a finished product.
Like all playoff-competitive teams, the Sixers were able to use a few tweaks and updates – and Daryl Morey seems to be rolling down a memory series again as he tries to PJ Tucker snatched from his old team.
The Sixers are among six teams asking about Tucker. Recently, several anonymous officers commented that they believed Tucker would end up in Philly when everything is said and done. While Tucker could lie with the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, or the Milwaukee Bucks – Jake Fischer de Bleacher Report reportedly Tucker would “enjoy” joining the Sixers.
“The landscape for dealing with PJ Tucker appears much greener. The Bucks, Nets, Heat, Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets have all expressed interest, sources said. Tucker would like to join Philadelphia and Daryl Morey who was general manager of the Rockets, and the Sixers are one of the few competitors who have real lies. “
Tucker, 35, has done little for the Rockets this season. In 32 games, he averages under five points while shooting just 31-percent from three. Apparently, many controversial teams are willing to bet that Tucker is getting a season down on a team that largely gives veterans the confidence to play better.
Perhaps, a change of scenery could help Tucker, who averaged nearly seven points-per-game last year while draining 35-percent of all three, which is around his career average. The Sixers could use a man like Tucker to support Tobias Harris, but it could cost them a second round for the veteran. Knowing that Tucker would accept a trade for the Sixers could have made Morey ‘s job easier.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.