Why The Philadelphia 76ers Should Do It
Unless the Philadelphia 76ers are going to trade Joel Embiid this offseason, which seems unlikely so far, it wouldn’t hurt to pursue this deal if the Boston Celtics make Gordon Hayward available.
Al Horford is much more essential on a team that doesn’t have Embiid. That’s not to say he doesn’t hold value for the Sixers, he absolutely does. But in this hypothetical, the Sixers dip into a position of great depth to acquire Hayward.
If Hayward is able to remain healthy, he should be poised for a big season in 2020-21, whether that’s with the Celtics or elsewhere.
One other benefit of this deal for the Sixers pertains to future commitments. Hayward — assuming he opts in — would only be under contract for 2020-21. Horford, as previously mentioned, is under contract through 2023. This deal in particular would give the Sixers some future flexibility, while also filling a need for the Celtics.
