Sources: Sixers trying to orchestrate three-team deal that would land Eric Gordon, ship Matisse Thybulle
Gordon, who formerly played with Harden in Houston, could serve as a scorer off the bench. Separately, the Portland Trail Blazers are interested in a straight-up deal for Thybulle.
NEW YORK — The 76ers are trying to acquire Eric Gordon and using Matisse Thybulle as an asset, even attempting to get a third team to participate, according to multiple league sources.
However, teams want to deal with the Sixers exclusively rather than help facilitate a deal to get Gordon from the Houston Rockets, sources say. The Portland Trail Blazers are willing to make a straight-up deal for Thybulle, according to sources.
Will the Sixers find a team with interest in Thybulle that is willing to serve as a third team in a draft-night trade? Only time will tell.
The NBA draft was Thursday night at the Barclays Center. The Sixers have the No. 23 pick.
» READ MORE: NBA Draft: Sixers shouldn’t sign P.J. Tucker, trade Matisse Thybulle, Tobias Harris | Marcus Hayes
For his part, Gordon averaged 13.4 points for the Rockets this past season. The shooting guard/small forward could be used as the Sixers’ fifth starter or a scoring threat off the bench. Gordon was the 2017 NBA sixth man of the year.
The 14-year veteran, who spent the past six seasons with the Rockets, has averages of 16.4 points and 2.8 assists in 749 games with 570 starts.
Gordon has two years remaining on his contract. The 33-year-old will make $19.5 million next season and has a non-guaranteed $20.9 million deal in 2023-24.
Morey is familiar with Gordon from their time together in Houston. He was the Rockets’ general manager for 13 seasons before being hired as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations in November 2020.
Morey is also trying to pursue former Houston power forward P.J. Tucker in free agency, league sources confirmed.
All this comes after Morey acquired former Houston star James Harden in a blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10.
Thybulle is an NBA All-Defensive second-team selection for the second consecutive season.
The Sixers’ reserve guard was fourth in the league in steals with 1.7 per game. He also averaged 1.1 blocks. He becomes the first bench player to make an All-Defensive team in consecutive seasons since Nate McMillan in 1994 and 1995.
One of Thybulle’s most memorable performances came during a 102-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Wells Fargo Center in December, when Thybulle did the unthinkable: He shut down Steph Curry.
With Thybulle as the primary defender, Curry shot 2-for-13, including 1-of-9 on three-pointers. The Sixers’ defensive whiz also became the first player to block Curry’s three-point shot multiple times in a game, doing it twice.
The Sixers want to contend for a NBA title next season. As a result, they are prepared to use a player and/or their draft pick to secure a “win-now” type of player.