The Philadelphia 76ers have a great ambition to become a championship-contending club, but they have had trouble in recent years advancing past the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Sixers may look to make a change in their backcourt as they wait for James Harden’s upcoming free agency decision following the firing of Doc Rivers and the appointment of Nick Nurse as the team’s new head coach.
Philadelphia may be exploring substantial moves to improve their chances of making the playoffs and ultimately competing for an NBA championship. This would entail strengthening their squad and fixing any potential flaws.
Fred VanVleet has emerged as a potential replacement for James Harden in Philadelphia, per @BrettSiegelNBA pic.twitter.com/2t2qll5q5S
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 31, 2023
The Philadelphia 76ers are aggressively looking for prospects to replace James Harden as his likely departure from the franchise approaches. According to insider sources, Toronto Raptors All-Star guard Fred VanVleet has emerged as a serious contender for the job.
VanVleet, who has a player option worth $22.82 million, is anticipated to choose to end his agreement this summer and sign with another team as an unrestricted free agency. VanVleet stands out as one of the top players available in a very weak free agency class because of his youth and strong skill set, especially among guards. Philadelphia considers him a possible Harden successor.
Fred VanVleet’s NBA career
Over the course of his seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Fred VanVleet has displayed his talents. He has consistently maintained respectable averages of 14.6, 5.3, and 3.3 in 417 regular-season games. Aside from helping the Raptors win the NBA title, VanVleet’s success earned him a berth in the All-Star game once.
He has regularly delivered at a high level since making a full-time debut in the 2019–2020 campaign, averaging 19.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. With 1.8 thefts and 0.5 blocks a game, he demonstrates his defensive skills. VanVleet has also shown to be a skilled shooter, posting percentages of 39.9% from the field, 36.7% from beyond the arc, and an amazing 87.8% from the free-throw line.
Is Fred VanVleet the right player to replace James Harden?
The Philadelphia 76ers are under pressure following yet another disappointing postseason season for the team. As free agency draws near, President Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand are totally committed to winning and prepared for many contingencies.
James Harden might leave Philadelphia this offseason, despite the Sixers’ priority of keeping him as their premier player. In that case, Fred Vanvleet will be a great change of guard in place of James Harden. Fred has proven assists and a defensive record and can be an asset on both ends.
The team’s financial condition is complicated, but if they are prepared to pay the related taxes, they have the capacity to pursue players like Fred VanVleet on a large contract, maybe in the neighbourhood of four years and $120-130 million. Philadelphia is committed to breaking its postseason drought and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals, especially in light of Joel Embiid’s outstanding performances.
