**What to watch**: [Matisse Thybulle](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3907498/matisse-thybulle) and the luxury tax
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>The turmoil that hung over the 76ers a year ago does not exist this season. Philadelphia has a top-five team in the Eastern Conference despite James Harden, [Tyrese Maxey](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4431678/tyrese-maxey) and [Joel Embiid](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3059318/joel-embiid) all missing extended periods of time.
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>That does not mean Daryl Morey and the front office will not be active leading up to the deadline. Including his last year in Houston, Morey has orchestrated trades at three consecutive deadlines. Finding a deal, however, could present more of a challenge this season.
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>The 76ers do not have a first-round pick to trade until 2029, and trading that pick would require lifting the protections on the picks owed to Oklahoma City and Brooklyn. They have only two second-round picks available to trade and are $5.5 million below the hard cap.
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>They do have 11 players earning between $1.8 million and $11 million, but that group includes starters Maxey and PJ Tucker and key reserves [De’Anthony Melton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066436/de’anthony-melton), [Danuel House Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2991155/danuel-house-jr). and [Georges Niang](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2990969/georges-niang).
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>That leads us to the future of Matisse Thybulle.
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>After the 76ers acquired Harden last February, Morey said this about the former first-rounder: “Thybulle easily could be Defensive Player of the Year, after Joel wins it first. … Sky’s the limit, and that’s a big reason we made sure \[Maxey and Thybulle\] weren’t in this trade.”
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>Thybulle was a second-team All-Defense selection last season, but became a nonfactor in the playoffs, averaging 15.2 minutes in nine games. This year he is averaging a career-low 12 minutes and has played less than 10 minutes in 18 games.
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>He has held opponents to 36.2% shooting as the closest defender, the second-lowest percentage allowed among players to defend 100 shots per Second Spectrum. However, he remains offensively challenged, shooting 41.4% overall and 32% from beyond the arc.
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>Thybulle will be a restricted free agent in the offseason if Philadelphia elects to extend a qualifying offer, so there is no pressing need to move him now even if he is not part of the Sixers’ future.
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>However, the 76ers are limited in what they can offer in draft assets and Thybulle’s $4.4 million expiring contract is one of their few (if only) trade chips.
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Philadelphia is $1.2 million above the luxury tax and trading a player like [Jaden Springer](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432164/jaden-springer) or [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3929325/furkan-korkmaz), pushes the 76ers below the tax threshold, putting them in line to receive a $16.2 million tax distribution.
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**Front-office trade history**: Morey is not afraid to make a blockbuster regular-season trade. Last February he traded Ben Simmons for James Harden. In 2020 while in charge of the Rockets, he traded for [Robert Covington](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2490620/robert-covington) as part of a four-team, 12-player deal.
**Last regular-season trade**: Traded Simmons, Seth Curry, [Andre Drummond](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6585/andre-drummond) and two first-round picks to Brooklyn for Harden and Paul Millsap.
**Trade we would like to see**: [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3929325/furkan-korkmaz), 2029 second and cash considerations to Houston for [Boban Marjanovic](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4376/boban-marjanovic). The trade would put the 76ers below the luxury tax threshold. If the second year of the Korkmaz contract is not appealing to teams, Jaden Springer and cash considerations could be traded to San Antonio for a future protected second-round pick.
**Trade exceptions**: $1.7 million
**Cash available**: $6.4 million (to send out) $6.4 million (to receive)
**Salary info and restrictions**:
* The 76ers are $1.17 million over the luxury tax and $5.5 million below the hard cap.
* James Harden (15%) and [Tobias Harris](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6440/tobias-harris) (15%) have a trade bonus in their contract.
* If either player is traded, Philadelphia would then be responsible for paying a percentage in the remaining salary owed (not including if there is a player option).
**Draft assets**:
* Philadelphia will send its own 2023 first to either Brooklyn or Utah.
* The 76ers owe Oklahoma City a first-round pick. It is top-6 protected in 2025 and top-4 protected in 2026 and 2027.
* It becomes a 2027 second-round pick if not conveyed by then.
* The 76ers owe Brooklyn a first-round pick two years after the pick is conveyed to Oklahoma City.
* The pick is top-8 protected in 2027 and 2028, and becomes a 2028 second-round pick if not conveyed.
* The earliest that Philadelphia can trade a first-round pick is 2029 but only if the conditions to Oklahoma City and Brooklyn are met in 2025 and 2027.
* The 76ers have two second-round picks available to use in a trade.