NBA Rumors: Three Team Swaps involving the Philadelphia 76ers

As the NBA Draft approaches, NBA rumors and scenarios become less tangent and more obscure and creative

The NBA draft is approaching rapidly, and with it comes the fever pitch of imagination mixed with NBA scenarios that, quite frankly, really don’t have a very long shelf life in a sane world.  The reason?  The complexity is either too great to pull off, the deal is far too lopsided, or the pieces are such that they would not be placed into any deals.

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But does that stop me from placing them in the path of the fans of the Philadelphia 76ers?  Not at all.  If you don’t tolerate that sort of thing, if you prefer a hard hitting bit of journalism, then I would recommend moving away from this little piece of narrative and checking out my article about Dario Saric and his intentions of arriving to the US here.   Or, if you prefer something of an expose about a young prospect currently on this roster, I’ve added this little piece about the upside of our very own Jerami Grant, and the case for him to earn a starting role this season.

But it’s the week of the 2016 NBA Draft, and while that left cortex with it’s analysis and logic will get a steady diet from us at the Sixer Sense all season, it’s that right cortex, with it’s basis in imagination, that cries for something this week.

But there is more at work here than just artsy creativity.  Bryan Colangelo is about to enter his first NBA draft and this is the first opportunity, on a national stage, to showcase his intentions and witness his skill at constructing a winner.

As we near the night of the NBA draft, we know that there are hints of a “big night” for the team that may involve more than just picking three times at the podium in round one.  Let’s explore what we’ve heard so far.

Next: Wiggins

What about… Wiggins?

The first scenario comes to us from Tom Moore, Buck’s County sports writer and respected Philadelphia 76ers beat writer.  This is the first of the three team scenarios, which involve the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Chicago Bulls, and the Philadelphia 76ers.   In this scenario, the Philadelphia 76ers exchange the 24th pick of the 2016 NBA draft and center Jahlil Okafor.  In return, the team receives the services of point guard Andrew Wiggins.

While this is just a hypothetical case, the seeds of multiple player and NBA team deals begin with this sort of brain storming.   In this scenario, the Chicago Bulls get offense at the center position in Jahlil Okafor, the Timberwolves get a great wing man in Jimmy Butler, and the Philadelphia 76ers get a badly needed wing in the form of Andrew Wiggins.

Let’s talk Philadelphia 76ers:  Andrew Wiggins is entering his third NBA season, and is already scoring an average of 20.7 points per game from the wing.  That number will likely increase if paired with Ben Simmons and Dario Saric, both players known for their ability to distribute the ball even in heavy traffic.  If the Sixers have the chance to make this happen, they should definitely consider it.

Next: A little too far out there...

A Little Too Far Out There…

Our second scenario comes from the hopeful pages of Kevin Barrios of the Bird Writes.  In his New Orleans Pelicans article, he creates a three team scenario that seems a tad too far on the lopsided scale to me.  But it’s in print, so I bring it to you so you can judge on your own.

In his scenario, he uses the myth of the Philaldelphia 76ers front court logjam to justify a scenario of hesitancy of the team to pursue using their top over pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.    In this case, it scares off the Philadelphia front office out of the number one pick and into the 4, 6, and 34 picks of the 2016 NBA draft.  The reason?  The team can select back court help at those selections.

So who winds up with the top pick?  Why the Phoenix Suns of course, in addition to Robert Covington.

And what is the New Orleans Pelicans role in all of this?  Why they land the 13th pick and T.J.Warren for their efforts.

The problem with this scenario?  Everything.  The Philadelphia 76ers top pick of the 2016 NBA draft value exceeds the combination of the 4, 6 and 34 pick of this draft, so they would have no need to contribute Covington.  Covington is a chip needed to justify the Suns giving up the fourth pick and T.J. Warren.  The winners in this draft?  The Pelicans of course, who merely slide 7 places in a draft where picks 6-15 are nearly of equivalent value, and pick up a solid wing player in the form of T. J. Warren to boot.

Uh… no.   This one is not happening.

Next: More Jahlil'ing

More Jahlil’ing

Our third three team scenario comes from an idea which someone had actually emailed to me.  This is a three team deal involving the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls, and the Philadelphia 76ers.  It this scenario, each team walks away with the following:

Boston Celtics walk out with Jimmy Butler and Robert Covington
Philadelphia 76ers walk out with the third pick of the 2016 NBA Draft
Chicago Bulls walk out with Jahlil Okafor , the 16th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, and a first round pick from the Boston Celtics in the 2018 NBA draft (Originally was the 2017 pick, but NBA rules prohibit trading two first round picks in consecutive years)

Jimmy Butler is involved in a lot of trade scenarios, but I truly cannot see the Chicago Bulls moving him without dumping Derrick Rose‘s contract.  Even then, it would be the presence of Butler which would keep the Bulls on the radar of some of the better free agents this off-season.

While I think Jahlil Okafor is truly undervalued for his long term potential, that potential has only had the briefest of flashes on display in the NBA last season.  In his 54 game season, Okafor played at both a center and power forward role on a very poorly constructed lineup, forcing him to commit heavily to the offense in a “gotta catch up” point generating – much like a hockey team pulls the goalie to score near the end of a game.

Next: Remembering That Time We Thought the Sixers Finally Got It Right!

It’s NBA draft week folks.   Read, enjoy, and have fun.  The work comes later.  For now?    We have a bright future.