NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers, Porzingis, Drummond, Mavs, Celtics

Originally posted on FortyEightMinutes | By Chris Crouse | Last updated 2/23/21

The Sixers have dealt with trade rumors for quite some time, though Tobias Harris feels the best way to quiet those talks is to win a championship, something he’s communicated to his teammates.

“I had conversations with Ben, too,” Harris said. “I was like, ‘The only way you become untradeable, pretty much, is if you win a championship.’ If you win a championship, nobody is breaking apart (that) team. You’ll add pieces to the team, but you’re not breaking up the core pieces. That was one of the things (he talked with Simmons about). I think it was kind of motivating (for him).”

Ben Simmons was rumored to be on the table in trade talks for James Harden earlier this season. The Sixers are reportedly looking to make “major moves,” though it appears that those are unlikely to involve Simmons.

More NBA Trade Rumors

The Mavericks are focused on adding center help, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report hears. While there are conflicting reports on whether the team is listening to offers for Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas’s top priority is adding a frontcourt partner for the former Knick.
Dallas has eyes for Andre Drummond, though there’s no indication that they’d be willing to offer up KP in such a deal, Fischer adds. Atlanta’s John Collins is another player on the Mavericks’ radar, though adding him via restricted free agency appears more likely. The Mavs are expected to make Collins a “significant offer” this summer, Fischer writes.
The Mavericks are also looking to add perimeter shooting and defense, per the Bleacher Report scribe.
The Celtics will likely have to part with draft picks in order to bring on a significant player via their $28.5 million trade exception, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe writes. It’s unclear how aggressive Danny Ainge is willing to be ahead of the trade deadline, given he doesn’t believe his team is championship caliber.