Should The Sixers Go After Goran Dragic At The Deadline?
By Josh Wilson
Apr 7, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) dribbles the ball as Charlotte Hornets center
Bismack Biyombo(8) and guard
Kemba Walker(15) defend in the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
The Logistics
Goran Dragic is no stranger to moving around and switching teams. He’s been traded a few times, so this would be nothing new to him, if the Miami Heat were to give him up to the Sixers.
More from The Sixer Sense
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Sixers Podcast: Danny Green returns + James Harden bombshell
Now, I know, many don’t see Dragic as a truly legitimate option with the team, or see what he brings more than say — Tony Wroten. To me, he’s incredibly underrated.
Basketball Insiders rated Dragic as one of the top underrated guards in the entire NBA. This is incredibly accurate to me, and I see Dragic as a player who — for some reason — has to fight very hard to get his name recognized as one that’s doing great things on the court. Why this is, I’m not sure.
Dragic played as the point guard just 14% of the time last season according to Basketball-Reference.com, but has had season of above 90% with the same statistic, so it’s clear he could come back around to point for the Sixers if he was acquired.
Let’s talk trade logistics, because, after all, this needs to be realistic in order for us to continue entertaining even the possibility of pursuing Dragic.
ALSO ON SIXER SENSE: The 10 Best Sixers Jerseys Of All Time
First off, the Miami Heat don’t absolutely need Dragic. He adds depth to their team, but they have Mario Chalmers who can take the start at point guard (another player that was talked about in a trade). They do only have Dragic and Chalmers listed on their depth chart now, however (according to ESPN), so the Sixers would need to send a point guard as well.
They would additionally need to send another player or draft pick as well, because no one of the guards the Sixers have are seen as the same caliber as Dragic.
Realistically, the Sixers can’t get a trade done until after January 15th, because Dragic is actually restricted until then via a trade. There is a way for the Heat to trade him now. He’s currently restricted under a BYC. I’ll spare you the boring details of a BYC, but it basically means that Dragic can not be moved until the Heat are below the salary cap, or until after January 15th, 2016.
Still, we can look ahead to the trade deadline, a time period I think the Sixers should utilize to their full advantage.
Next: What Would Dragic Offer