The calendar has flipped from December to January, which means that trade speculation season in the NBA is officially here. With the trade deadline just over a month away, contending teams will be looking to add that final piece (or two) to push them over the top, while teams heading for a lottery landing may be looking to unload some pieces in an effort to acquire future assets and shed cap space.
As a team with legitimate championship hopes but potentially still a piece away, the Philadelphia 76ers fall into the former category, and as such, they will likely look to add some shooting and/or bolster the bench for their playoff push. The Sixers are in ultimate win-now mode, which means that they would likely be willing to trade future assets (i.e. draft picks, young players) for short-term results. With that in mind, here's a look at five potential trade targets for Philadelphia.
Entering the season, one of the biggest questions about the Sixers was if they had enough reliable floor-spacing around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons; two players that do a lot of their damage in the paint. As it turns out, concerns that they didn't may have been legitimate. The Sixers are just 21st league-wide with 10.9 made 3s per game, and their perimeter production is inconsistent. One game they could connect on 21 triples, as they did against the Bucks on Christmas Day, and another game they might make just six, as they did against Indiana on New Year's Eve. As the playoffs approach, stabilizing their shooting is especially important for Philadelphia, as teams have started to play zone against the Sixers in an effort to neutralize their size and force them to win games from the perimeter. If this continues to prove effective, opponents will lean heavily on that game plan in the postseason.
The addition of Bertans would immediately help to stabilize Philly's production from the perimeter and help to open things up for Embiid, Simmons and the rest of the offense. On the season, Bertans is shooting a scorching 43 percent from beyond the arc on 8.6 attempts per game. Though he would probably come off of the bench, at least initially, it's not crazy to think that he would play major minutes, and in clutch situations, alongside the other starters, perhaps over Al Horford, who has proven to be a clunky fit on the offensive end within Philadelphia's first five.
Potential trade: 76ers receive Davis Bertans, Wizards receive Mike Scott, Zhaire Smith, 76ers 2021 1st round pick
The Sixers would potentially be interested in Harris for the same reason that they would be interested in Bertans; shooting. On the season, Harris is attempting 6.3 3s per game, and connecting at a 43 percent clip. Like Bertans, he could help to open up the offense for Philadelphia while splitting time between the reserve corps and the starting unit. The Sixers have enough solid defenders scattered throughout the roster to help make up for any deficiencies that Harris may present on that end of the floor.
Harris also projects as a solid fit alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, so there's a good chance that Brooklyn could hold on to him and try to sign him when he hits unrestricted free agency over the summer. But, there's also a chance that they don't think that they'll be able to retain him once he hits the open market, and would welcome the opportunity to get something in return for him before they lose him for nothing in free agency.
Potential trade: 76ers receive Joe Harris, Nets receive Mike Scott, Zhaire Smith, 76ers 2020 2nd round pick (Knicks pick)
Another area that the Sixers should address is the backup point guard position. Trey Burke and Raul Neto have both spent time at the spot, and while neither has been bad, neither has been exceptional, either, and Brett Brown doesn't appear sold on either as the long-term answer at the position. Brown even tried to use shooting guard Josh Richardson as a secondary ballhandler earlier in the season, to underwhelming results. In short, the Sixers need another player capable of running an offense for stretches of play.
Rose isn't necessarily a shooter, which makes a potential pairing with Simmons shaky on paper, but the Sixers would immediately benefit from the ability of the former MVP to generate offense for himself and others. The Sixers are one of the league's top teams when it comes to ball movement and assists (they're fourth league-wide with 26.4 team assists per game), but they could use a player of Rose's ilk that is able to just go and get a bucket to stop a run, or to make something happen individually when a play breaks down. On the season, Rose is averaging 16.8 points and 5.9 assists in just 24.4 minutes of action per game, and the veteran guard might welcome the opportunity to contribute to a contender at this point of his career.
Potential trade: 76ers receive Derrick Rose, Pistons receive Mike Scott, Zhaire Smith, 76ers 2021 1st round pick
Burks has stepped up offensively for the Warriors in the absence of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson this season, as he's averaging 15.9 points and 3.0 assists per game in nearly 30 minutes of action. However, guards that can score aren't a major need for Golden State when fully healthy, and since Burks is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, it seems unlikely that the Warriors will bring him back. Thus, they could very well be interested in recouping some value for him.
In Philadelphia, Burks could provide the Sixers with some scoring production off of the bench and another player capable of spacing the floor. The Sixers are 26th in the NBA in bench scoring as they're getting under 30 points per contest from their reserves. Burks would help here, as he can generate his own offense and is capable of scoring from all three levels. Plus, he likely wouldn't be too costly of an acquisition for Philadelphia.
Potential trade: 76ers receive Alec Burks, Warriors receive Raul Neto, 76ers 2020 2nd round pick (own pick)
Bullock just returned to game action on New Year's Day after he underwent offseason surgery for a cervical disc herniation, so that's a bit of a concern, but the Sixers could certainly benefit from his ability to shoot and score. Bullock is a career 39 percent shooter from long distance, and he's averaged over 11 points per game in each of the last two seasons. He might not be the sexiest option, but Bullock would immediately give Philly a boost off the bench and provide them with another much-needed floor-spacer at a reasonable rate. Though he's under contract through the 2020-21 campaign, only $1 million of his deal for next season is guaranteed, so the Sixers could take a flier on him this season, and then part ways with him over the offseason if they didn't want to bring him back. It's yet to be seen if the Knicks would actually be interested in moving Bullock, but given the current state of their team, all options should be on the table.
Potential trade: 76ers receive Reggie Bullock, Knicks receive Zhaire Smith, 76ers 2020 2nd round pick (own pick)
