What does Memphis Grizzlies’ return for Desmond Bane say about what Sixers could get in a Tyrese Maxey trade?

Given the nature of my job, as major events unfold throughout the NBA, I think about them through a Sixers-specific lens.

So, when the Orlando Magic coughed up four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to parlay Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony into Memphis Grizzlies mainstay Desmond Bane on Sunday morning, it was hard not to wonder…

What could the Sixers fetch in a trade if they made Tyrese Maxey available?

Before I continue, allow me to make it abundantly clear that this is merely a hypothetical question, not one I anticipate the Sixers investigating this summer at all. But as questions mount about Maxey's long-term fit with Jared McCain and the team's inability to make significant roster changes, I found myself intrigued enough to at least try identifying teams that could make pushes for Maxey if he were not untouchable (I believe he is).

Maxey is nearly two and a half years younger than Bane and is a vastly superior ball-handler and shot creator with an All-Star nod in his past. Bane, however, is a significantly better defensive player whose skillset makes him an easier fit in many systems. The players are on nearly identical contracts, which run through the 2028-29 season and are in the same ballpark in terms of the hierarchy of younger players in the league.

My gut reaction as I pondered the concept was that Maxey should clearly be a more valuable asset than Bane, not just because he is younger but because he is a far more capable scorer — which theoretically gives him greater upside as he enters his mid-20s.

But Maxey's on-ball role does make it a bit more complicated, as Bane was an easier target for teams that are currently competitive, which generally already have quality ball-handlers. Of course, I got to work on the trade machine and ended up with a few teams that make some sense and others that feel less sensible but could push some chips in if they really wanted Maxey.

A second reminder that this is entirely hypothetical, not based on any sort of suspicion that a Maxey trade could happen. It is just a thought exercise…

The best fits

• New Orleans Pelicans: If New Orleans native Kelly Oubre Jr. is willing to pick up his player option before the draft with the promise of a significant role with the Pelicans, the math lines up quite well on a structure which gives the Sixers a dynamic pair of starting wings, a versatile backup for Joel Embiid and an additional lottery pick:

The sell for New Orleans, a team looking to reshape itself with a new-look front office headed by Joe Dumars, would be that Maxey has a far better chance of being a primary scorer for a competitive team than Murphy. Jones and the No. 7 overall pick are a major price to pay on top of Murphy, but the Sixers have no reason to settle for less.

The Sixers lose Maxey's top-end scoring, but become a far better defensive team with a more balanced roster.

• Utah Jazz: Utah is the easiest sell for me in terms of a team that would make a push for Maxey, but it is unclear if they have the means to get it done. The most obvious framework would be built around Maxey and Lauri Markkanen, but that is much easier said than done. This is the best I could do:

Utah's best young asset is center Walker Kessler, who has more value to other teams than the Sixers as an extension-eligible player. So perhaps Markkanen would be playing alongside Maxey in Utah, while the assets the Jazz can get for Kessler are rerouted to Philadelphia:

A stellar third guard in Sexton who can start if needed, a quality wing in Hachimura, a prospect in Knecht, two first-round picks and two swaps is probably not enough to convince the Sixers, but Utah does have the ability to go overboard with draft capital if they grow desperate. The Sixers should not do the deal otherwise.

• Houston Rockets: Houston has tons of young players that would intrigue the Sixers — and a desperation for half-court scoring that they may not get without trading for Kevin Durant. Could the Sixers get a nice combination of win-now talent and long-term gains for Maxey from the Rockets? They will have a hard time doing better than something like this:

Of course, the Sixers would begin these negotiations by asking for Amen Thompson. The Rockets will politely inform them that he is rightfully untouchable.

• Miami Heat: If Miami strikes out on Durant, they will be at serious risk of total irrelevance for the first time in many years. Would they give up all of their impressive young players to land Maxey?

Ware has real upside and Jović looks like a long-term rotation piece, but Jacquez thrived as an old rookie before taking a major step back in his sophomore campaign. A deal like this would not be good enough.

Other ideas

• Detroit Pistons: Detroit would be in the "best fits" category, but it is a bit hard to imagine them making a move now for someone who takes the ball out of Cade Cunningham's hands often. But Maxey is at his best when his role features a mixture of on-ball and off-ball duties, and Cunningham's size at the point guard position makes him an ideal fit with Maxey. Would the Pistons push chips in now?

Ultimately, Detroit probably does not have a singular player dynamic enough to get a deal done and pair Maxey with Cunningham. Most of these deals are more about volume for the Sixers, to be fair, but this would be a massive bet on Ivey taking another major step forward. The Sixers should ask for Ausar Thompson instead of Holland or additional pick compensation if the Pistons offer this deal.

• Brooklyn Nets: It is difficult to get all the way there on Brooklyn as a Maxey destination. That is not because he is an unappealing player or because the Nets do not have enough assets, but because it is unclear where such a move is getting them unless it is a precursor to an even bigger deal for an even bigger star who can have Maxey as their sidekick. The deal would need to involve them trading starting center Nic Claxton to a third team and rerouting that team's assets to the Sixers, so once again, the Lakers are involved:

Among the many benefits of this package for the Sixers is getting back their 2028 first-rounder, currently owed to Brooklyn from the James Harden-for-Ben Simmons trade. But it remains a tough sell for Brooklyn unless they have another blockbuster lined up, and it is probably not the sort of generational offer the Sixers would love to get for their star guard.

In conclusion

Do not expect a Maxey trade to happen at any point in the near future, especially because of how unappetizing many of these deals seem at first glance. Trading star-caliber players who are ball-handlers oftentimes gets incredibly tricky, and if the Sixers ever even consider moving Maxey, it has to be because of an offer so overwhelming they simply could not refuse it. It is hard to realistically find that offer in the league right now.

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