Sixers May Be Willing To Include Tobias Harris In Ben Simmons Trade

The 76ers have begun to attach forward Tobias Harris to a potential trade of star guard/forward Ben Simmons, according to Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears of ESPN.

Simmons has been sitting out the season as the 76ers look to make a deal. He is said to be wanting to move on himself, per multiple reports.

The Hawks, Kings, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves and Pacers all remain interested in a potential trade for Simmons, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. That said, the Sixers don’t appear close to moving Simmons, with the Feb. 10 trade deadline looming.

Perhaps attaching a talent such as Harris could help change that.

“I’m hearing they want to include Tobias Harris,” Spears said of the Sixers’ talks with the Hawks on The Hoop Collective Podcast, via RealGM.

“Me too,” Windhorst added.

For now, though, it’s all speculation, as the Simmons ordeal remains very much in limbo. Interestingly, multiple rival executives have told Hoops Wire they envision any trade centered on Simmons being a deal that involves more than one team.

Last month, the Lakers made a call on Simmons, per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. But those talks went nowhere, it seems.

Simmons, 25, is 6-foot-11 and often runs the point. He has also spent time at power forward, acting as a facilitator in either role. While he struggles mightily when it comes to shooting from the perimeter, he still is a career 56 percent shooter.

Last season, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists, and was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.

Harris, 29, is 6-foot-8 and is averaging 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 30 appearances this season. Translation: He is a major part of the 76ers’ hopes, and you’d have to think that he would only be included in a Simmons trade if Philadelphia received a massive haul in return.