Due to heartbreak, the owner of the 76ers fired Doc Rivers as head coach in 2024. because of his new…

Due to heartbreak, the owner of the 76ers fired Doc Rivers as head coach in 2024. because of his new…

CARACAS, California — How much longer will Tobias Harris be a 76er? is a question we keep asking.

At least until the end of the season, if the Sixers are smart.

The forward, 30, has a deal that runs through the 2023–24 campaign. However, during the past few years, his name has come up frequently in trade discussions. And as teams try to restructure their payroll and improve their rosters, that might carry over until the trade deadline of February 9.

However, the Sixers will have a difficult time finding a replacement for Harris at this point. The team is now beginning to live up to the hype surrounding its potential for an NBA championship. And one reason for that is Harris’s capacity to adapt to his constantly shifting role.

ENDORSEMENT READ MORE: Presenting the initial argument in favor of Sixers star Joel Embiid’s induction into the Hall of Fame

Without Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Sixers defeated the Sacramento Kings, 129-127, on Saturday night at Golden 1 Center. With seven points on seven of his thirteen shots, five rebounds, six assists, and a foul with three minutes and six seconds left, Harris was a major contributor to the victory.

After winning 18 of their 22 games, the NBA’s hottest team, the Sixers, have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 30-16.

Embiid and Harden, two-time All-NBA cornerbacks, were rightfully given a lot of credit for the team’s strong play leading up to Saturday’s contest.

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Embiid had won five straight games with a minimum of 30 points. And that’s not even close to enough, given that since December 9, the five-time All-Star center has averaged 35.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks.

Sixers At the Wells Fargo Center on December 23, in the fourth quarter, Tobias Harris guards Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. The Sixers defeated the Clippers 114–119.
Sixers At the Wells Fargo Center on December 23, in the fourth quarter, Tobias Harris guards Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. The Sixers defeated the Clippers 114–119.

Photographer Steven M. Falk / Staff
The 10-time All-Star guard Harden, meanwhile, put up averages of 21.3 points, 12.0 assists, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in that span. While constantly changing his role based on who was playing and who the Sixers were playing against, Harris averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists during that time.

The Sixers used Harris to carry more of their offensive load on nights when Embiid and/or Harden were sidelined. Harris’s job on the court with Harden, Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey is to spread the floor and seize catch-and-shoot opportunities. They also put him under pressure to perform well defensively.

ENDORSEMENT READ MORE: Sixers mailbag: “Is there another big one that we need?”

In addition to performing countless other things that are not shown on a stat sheet, Harris has starred in each of those roles.

As good as Harden and Embiid are, players like Harris are the foundation of championship-caliber teams.

Maybe losing his pay is the only advantage to trading him right now. He signed a five-year, $180 million contract on July 10, 2019, with less than two years and $79.6 million left on it.