Despite adding point guard James Harden before the trade deadline to pair with superstar Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ postseason run ended with a second-round loss to the Miami Heat in six games.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, a guest on Mike Greenberg’s ESPN Radio show “Greeny” on Monday, discussed the Sixers’ offseason plans.
Windhorst dropped a nugget about the Sixers possibly looking to acquire another superstar to play alongside the duo of Harden and Embiid.
“I promise you that Daryl Morey has big, giant plans to acquire another star,” Windhorst said. “Whether he’s going to execute it, I don’t know.”
Windhorst didn’t name any players in particular when it comes to the “star” the Sixers might be looking to acquire; he did say the target would likely be a player in a contract year.
“You would need a player, potentially near the end of his contract, to come and say, ‘I would like to go play in Philadelphia,'” Windhorst said. “Is that something that could happen? Maybe, we’ll see. I know that Philly, and Daryl, are going to try to make it happen.”
Windhorst mentioned the assets the Sixers have to use as trade ammunition, including Tobias Harris and budding youngster Tyrese Maxey. However, a significant roadblock for the Sixers is Harden’s next contract.
Harden is entering the final year of a 4-year, $171.1 million contract signed in 2019. The last year of his deal is a player option for the 2022-2023 season that would pay him $47.3 million if exercised. The popular belief is that the Sixers will offer Harden an extension this offseason. Windhorst and others have shot down the idea that the Sixers will offer Harden a max deal, but the ESPN insider believes a deal will get done.
