Will Tucker find a new home with Harden?

“The Philadelphia 76ers are desperate to include PJ Tucker in a James Harden trade,” local media outlet HoopsHype reported on the 22nd (KST).

The biggest story in the NBA trade market right now is Damian Lillard and Harden requesting a trade. Both Harden and Lillard have requested trades from their respective teams. Both players have expressed their dissatisfaction with their teams and strongly desire a move.카지노사이트

Harden’s situation is more complicated. Harden signed a two-year contract with Philadelphia ahead of the 2022-2023 season. Harden could have been paid more, but he voluntarily took a pay cut, allowing Philadelphia to acquire Tucker with the money they saved on Harden. Harden took a pay cut to try and win a championship, but it didn’t work out as the team was eliminated in the second round of the 2022-2023 playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Harden’s contract was a two-year deal, but the second year was a player option, giving him the right to hit free agency. Most people expected Harden to hit free agency as a matter of course. However, Harden did not exercise his option and extended his contract with Philadelphia for another year.

The reason Harden didn’t hit free agency wasn’t because he wanted to stay in Philadelphia, it was because no championship team was willing to pay him a big contract. Most of the championship teams that needed him were full of salary cap space and unable to sign free agents, so Harden wanted to extend his contract for another year and ask Philadelphia for a trade so he could go to the team of his choice.

It’s unlikely that Philadelphia would grant Harden’s request. They want the best possible return for Harden.

This is Tucker. Tucker signed a three-year, $33 million deal with Philadelphia for the 2022-2023 season. That’s a lot of money for a player born in 1985, but Philadelphia was convinced by Tucker’s performance in Miami in the 2021-2022 season.

Tucker averaged just 3.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 2022-2023. His trademark dirty work and tenacious defence were still there, but his offence was atrocious. This is a Tucker who is really showing his age.

If Philadelphia wants to move Harden, they want to move the troublesome Tucker along with him.

The team known to be the strongest suitor for Harden is the Los Angeles Clippers. The problem is, while the Clippers desperately need Harden, they don’t need Tucker at all. The Clippers are weak at guard and have one of the best depths in the NBA at forward. There’s no reason to add Tucker.

Tucker played with Harden during his time with the Houston Rockets, and he’s been a staple in Philadelphia. The question is whether he can play alongside Harden again.