The Cleveland Cavaliers are among a few teams that have inquired about Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, according to a report.
The 30-year-old’s monster contract has just one season remaining, making him an interesting trade candidate.
It’s worth noting, however, that the Sixers seemingly aren’t going to deal him unless their asking price is met, and that’s far from a guarantee.
“The Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers have made inquiries about Harris’ availability, according to a source,” wrote Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “However, another source said the Sixers will only make a deal that would be hard to pass up. As a result, teams around the league believe the Sixers are overvaluing Harris and asking for ‘outrageous packages in return,’ sources say.”
Philadelphia reportedly thinks that new head coach Nick Nurse has what it takes to get the most out of Harris.
“Right now, the Sixers aren’t willing to trade him unless it drastically improves their team,” wrote Pompey. “But they’ll have opportunities to trade him if need be.
“Contrary to public belief, the Sixers believe Harris is a solid fit for new coach Nick Nurse, who has had success with versatile forwards. If things don’t work out, the Sixers will have other opportunities to trade Harris before the 2024 trade deadline. If things go well, they could look to re-sign him at a more realistic rate once he becomes a free agent next summer.”
In recent years, Harris’ production has been overshadowed by the size of his contract. Since his deal will expire at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, that’s less of a factor now, though he’s still scheduled to make around $39 million in the upcoming season.
During the 2022-23 regular season, Harris averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.
In the playoffs, he posted similar numbers, averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest on 52.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent shooting from deep.
The veteran has been a consistent starter for most of his NBA career, and since he joined the Sixers, all 308 of his regular season appearances have been starts.
Harris also has a lot of playoff experience under his belt (55 games), which may be something the Cavs value. When Cleveland fell short of expectations in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, inexperience seemed like a major reason why, so it would make sense for the team to add some playoff experience to its roster this summer.
The Cavs are starting to appear in lots of rumors around the NBA, and they’ll have some big decisions to make this offseason as they look to improve their chances of contending in the Eastern Conference in the 2023-24 season.
The 2023 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday and could result in lots of player movement as teams look to get busy.
