The Philadelphia 76ers spent the summer reshaping their roster, but one problem still hangs over the group: shooting. If they want help in that department, the San Antonio Spurs have a possible answer sitting in their wing rotation.
Harrison Barnes fits the profile. He’s not a starter-level piece anymore, but he still brings dependable shooting and the kind of durability teams covet. For a Sixers team that finished 23rd in 3-point percentage last season at 34.9 percent, that matters.
Philadelphia already made a serious effort to address the issue by adding LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Even so, losing Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre takes some of the shine off that upgrade.
Barnes, meanwhile, is on a new one-year, $8 million deal with San Antonio after re-signing this summer. The Spurs also extended Victor Wembanyama and brought back Harrison Barnes and Julian Champagnie, while adding Tobias Harris. Their main group stays intact, but Barnes now looks buried behind Harris, Champagnie, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Carter Bryant on the wing.
That makes him a natural trade name to watch if the Spurs decide to move him. He’s viewed as a steady locker room presence, a player with championship experience and a strong standing inside the organization. He has one ring already, and San Antonio appears to give him his best path toward another one.
Still, the fit with Philadelphia makes sense. As FanSided’s Nicolas Pring wrote, "Barnes would be a welcome addition to a Philly squad not exactly teeming with firepower on the perimeter," Pring also noted, "Even better, he can still put the ball in the rack and create shots for himself when facing a favorable matchup.
Another underrated part when it comes to Barnes is his availability. He almost never misses games due to injury, and that is especially valuable to a 76ers team that would love to have even more depth due to its injury-prone players."
Pring had listed Barnes as a possible buyout candidate, but that path does not seem likely since the Spurs are not under financial pressure this season.
A trade would still require San Antonio to avoid taking on long-term money. A package built around Anfernee Simons, or possibly a reunion with Dominick Barlow, plus second-round pick compensation, is one route the Sixers could explore.
If Barnes ended up in Philadelphia, it would still be a positive outcome for San Antonio. Moving him to a strong Eastern Conference team would allow the Spurs to keep their reputation as an organization that treats players well.
And if the Sixers do end up pushing the Knicks, San Antonio could end up playing a small part in that too.
In Other News...
Harrison Barnes Faces A New Spurs Reality He Can Still Shape
Harrison Barnes arrived in San Antonio on a one-year deal with a clear understanding of the assignment: bring experience, professionalism and a steadying voice to a young roster that is trying to grow up fast. The Spurs have several players competing for minutes, and the regular season is likely to be as much about development as it is about the nightly rotation, which makes Barnes a useful presence even if his role is no longer built around heavy usage.
What gives this pairing its intrigue is that Barnes can still shape the season without dominating it. His value now may come more from the way he helps younger teammates navigate the grind, sets the tone in the locker room and provides a model of how to handle a changing role, while the Spurs continue sorting out where everyone fits in a crowded pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi Leonards Spurs Legacy Just Got Pulled Into A New Debate
Kawhi Leonards place in basketball history has never really been in doubt, especially in San Antonio, where his rise and title run helped define an era for the Spurs. Now, though, the conversation around his legacy has shifted from what he accomplished on the floor to how voters might view him when Hall of Fame ballots eventually come into play.
Eddie Johnson said Leonard should end up in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, but he expects the recent Clippers controversy to linger in the background for a while. The NBAs investigation found Leonards uncle had pushed the team for off-court income opportunities, leading to league discipline for the Clippers and several executives, while Leonard has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing through his agent. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyamas Rise Is Creating A Real Spurs Credit Problem
Victor Wembanyamas rise has changed the way the Spurs are viewed around the league, and not just because of what he does on the floor. His presence has made San Antonio a more appealing destination for other NBA players, while also giving teammates like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper a chance to operate in bigger roles and lean into the defensive backbone the team is building around him.
The tradeoff is the kind of problem winning teams usually welcome. Castle has been part of a defense that ranks among the leagues best, but Wembanyamas gravity can make it harder for the work around him to get the individual credit it deserves. For San Antonio, that is a sign of how far the group has come. For Castle, it leaves an open question about how much recognition can break through when the franchise centerpiece is already drawing so much attention. [Read more 🡒]