The Philadelphia 76ers have usually been one of the more active players on the trade market, especially since Daryl Morey took over as club president. However, they have been relatively quiet lately, although a mild but telling rumor finally broke their silence on the market and shed light on what they are planning ahead of the deadline.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reports this in his latest piece (subscription required), the 76ers held talks with the Grizzlies a few weeks ago about a potential trade, though the talks didn’t revolve around All-Star guard Ja Morant at all. Still, this revelation strongly hints at what the front office actually plans to do before the deadline.
Philly is still in the middle of the pack in the playoff picture in the East, which just means their path to a Finals appearance is still hazy, if not murky. Their raw talent gives them a high ceiling as a collective, but rotation upgrades will be necessary to take their floor to the next level. Fortunately, it appears the front office is trying to do just that.
The 76ers apparently want to improve the roster in the margins through the trade market
Fischer noted that talks between the 76ers and Grizzlies have focused on potential deals around the ballpark, suggesting the former is looking to strengthen the rotation by targeting role players. This seems to be the direction they’re taking ahead of the deadline, and it couldn’t be more timely.
Between artists like Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia has some solid players who could be intriguing enough for Memphis, which is currently fighting for its life in the West. In fact, they all have contracts that are expiring, which reduces the risk you face if you move the needle on any of them.
Of course, the 76ers aren’t just limiting themselves to those players as their top trade candidates. For example, Jared McCain could be used to land a high-end role player when his contract is consolidated with the aforementioned players. They also don’t lack draft picks, which could make them a real force to nab players on teams looking to make a fire sale.
The Philadelphia 76ers almost always have a raw talent advantage on a nightly basis, so it’s only appropriate that the front office plans to pair their core people with role players who are a better fit for them. Hopefully they can get the job done and manage to bring in a few new cogs that can make life easier for their key contributors.
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