Is a Sixers move imminent?

LOS ANGELES — The 76ers were surprised that they were able to select Tyrese Maxey with the 21st pick of the NBA draft on Nov. 18.

They said that acquiring a guy of his pedigree on their team would help them over time. Four months later, sources say the Sixers are willing to use Maxey as an asset to help them acquire six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry.

The Sixers and the Miami Heat are in the running to acquire Lowry from the Toronto Raptors before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly also eyeing him. A league source said the Sixers have also expressed interest in Raptors guard Norman Powell.

The source said Toronto is “asking for a lot” for Powell.

In regards to Lowry, the Raptors would like Maxey or second-year shooting guard Matisse Thybulle included in a package. However, a league source said the Sixers aren’t willing to part ways with Thybulle, one of the league’s best young defenders.

» READ MORE: Sixers, Miami Heat in running to acquire Kyle Lowry from Toronto Raptors

The belief is that the Raptors would want the same things in exchange for Powell, who has a player option for $11.6 million next season. However, he’s expected to opt out and pursue a deal for $20 million per season. Powell is making $10.8 million this season.

The expectation is the Raptors would want young players and draft picks in exchange for the sixth-year veteran, who is having a career-best season. He’s averaging a career-high 19.5 points while shooting a career-best 43.4% on three-pointers.

As a result, Toronto may also want a package that includes Thybulle and/or Maxey and a pick for him. The belief is their asking price will drop on Thursday if they don’t have any takers.

Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if Danny Green is included in any deal for a player with a lucrative contract. The $15.6 million he’s making in this the final year of his deal could go a long way in helping to match salaries.

Green said on Sunday the possibility of being traded is something that was not on his mind.

“It’s out of my control,” he said. “I think our focus, our control is winning games, playing basketball,” Green said. “Whatever happens, happens. Our focus is don’t even think about that. The trade-deadline trades, I’ve learned as a vet only to worry about the things that I can control.”

But one has to assume that hearing you’ve been made available in a potential trade could be tough on a rookie like Maxey.

Back in December, Doc Rivers chatted with Ben Simmons when news broke that the Sixers were willing to trade him in their pursuit of James Harden. Rivers said Tuesday night that he hadn’t had a similar conversation with Maxey.

“I don’t read much,” the coach said. “So I don’t see a lot of what’s going on. And you know, there’s no need to have a conversation right now.”

Why not? Is Rivers saying the Sixers aren’t trying to trade anyone?

“I’m just saying there’s no need,” he said. “We are in a great place as a group. You know we won nine out of 10 games. The guys are playing good basketball. No need to talk about it.”

At 31-13, the Sixers have the franchise’s best record through 44 games since the 2000-01 squad went 34-10. That team reached the NBA Finals, concluding by losing to the Lakers in five games.

Rivers’ squad sits atop the Eastern Conference standings and has the league’s second-best overall record.

However, the Sixers are not the favorites to win the NBA title. They know that. That’s why Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey is actively looking to upgrade the roster.

They need a guy like Lowry to obtain their ultimate goal. Not only is he a six-time All-Star, Lowry knows how to run a team. He’s a winner, a leader, and possesses a toughness that would benefit the Sixers. He’s also shown that he can coexist in the backcourt with another ballhandler when he plays in Toronto with Fred VanVleet.

» READ MORE: Is Kyle Lowry worth the price? Five questions the Sixers must answer ahead of the NBA trade deadline. | David Murphy

Adding him to the mix with Joel Embiid, Simmons, and Tobias Harris would put the Sixers in great position to advance to the NBA Finals.

However, Lowry, who turns 35 on Thursday, wants some indication that a potential destination is willing to give him a two-year extension at a minimum $25 million a year, according to sources. He’s making $30 million in the final year of his Raptors deal.

A league executive thinks a package of Green, Tony Bradley, Mike Scott, Maxey and a draft pick could get the deal done if Toronto can create available roster spots to match up salaries. Green, Bradley, and Scott are all in the final year of their deals. So the Sixers would basically be giving up Maxey and a draft pick.

Houston Rockets shooting guard Victor Olapido would also be another major acquisition. He’s making $21 million in the final year of his deal. The Rockets asking price isn’t a lot based on Olapido’s injury history and the preception that he’ll be rental for the end of the season. The belief is that he’s serious candidate to sign with Miami in free agency this summer.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard George Hill, Sacramento Kings power forward Nemanja Bjelica aand former Detroit Pistons combo guard Delon Wright have all been mentioned as potential trade candidates for the Sixers. However, Wright has traded to the Kings late Wednesday night.

Bradley hasn’t paid attention to the trade deadline.

“Me, personally, I haven’t talked to anybody about the trade deadline,” he said. “I don’t hear many people, many players talking about it. I didn’t even know the deadline [was coming]. When is the deadline?”

However, Harris knows a lot about being traded. He was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 draft and was traded that night to the Milwaukee Bucks. The 10th-year veteran was traded four more times after that. So he knows what players go through when their names are mentioned in potential deals.

“Obviously, it’s one of those times of the year,” said Harris, who came to the Sixers at the 2019 deadline. “But you will face it every single year. And my advice is just to stay in the moment. You can’t really control any of what’s going on, what you hear.”

He knows from experience that it is just part of the NBA.