The Philadelphia 76ers got way better in the offseason, which is not something we can say about the Utah Jazz.
On one hand, the Sixers landed P.J. Tucker, Danuel House, and De'Anthony Melton, and managed to get James Harden to sign at a discount. On the other, the Jazz lost their second-best player in Rudy Gobert.
But we know Daryl Morey is rarely satisfied. He's always looking for ways to improve the roster and has proven to be one of the most aggressive deal-makers in the Association, which is why some believe he still has an ace up his sleeve.
Considering that, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that the Jazz could be a potential trade partner for the Sixers, as they'd gladly take on big contracts as long as they come with future picks attached.
In this hypothetical scenario, the Sixers would get Patrick Beverley and Bojan Bogdanovic in return for Matisse Thybulle, Tobias Harris, a 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
The Jazz are likely to trade Donovan Mitchell anyway, so they would gladly facilitate any move that gets them more future picks. This trade would grant them a first-rounder and two second-rounders while also giving them one of the best young defenders in the league in Thybulle.
They could either explore buying out Harris or just let his contract expire. Both players could help them win a handful of games next season while they focus on retooling and rebuilding through the draft.
Morey has never cared too much about draft picks when it comes to making win-now moves, so why would he start now? Of course, losing Thybulle is a big blow, but they were already hesitant to sign him to a lucrative extension due to his offensive limitations.
On paper, they'd get the same skill set with a sharpshooter combo/forward in Bogdanovic and a pesky backcourt stopper in Beverley, all while preserving their cap space to make a big splash next summer.
The Sixers are in a championship-or-bust mode right now, so they can't focus on stacking picks. They have a roster that's good and young enough to compete for years.
As for the Jazz, it'll take some time before they become playoff material again, but taking a page out of Sam Presti's book to gather as many first-rounders as possible looks like a feasible scenario for their future.
