5 Reasons Philadelphia 76ers Deal Expiring Contracts Before Trade Deadline

By Bret Stuter | Feb 4, 2017

Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) reacts with guard Nik Stauskas (11) and guard TJ McConnell (1) against Brooklyn Nets in the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Sixers win 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports /

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NBA: Philadelphia 76ers-Press Conference /

Reason IV: Budget Salary

Players who do well want to be paid. So that really hasn’t played a major part in the team’s planning… yet. But that all changes this year. Like it or not, the Philadelphia 76ers must now manage their salary cap. Why so soon?

NBA players shy away from short term deals. Like the rest of us, they value the security of knowing that they will get paid for as far into the future as possible. But the Philadelphia 76ers will not have that luxury.

At the end of the 2017-2018 season (it’s only 15 months away), the Philadelphia 76ers will face retention of Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, Nik Stauskas, and Gerald Henderson. Depending on their play, the market for this group may take a significant portion of the team’s salary to retain.

That does not factor in any free agents the team may wish to sign up.

And so, if the team truly plans to keep any of the three players next season, there will be that trade off: money spent there will not be available for the next contract. In essence, retaining Nerlens Noel dilutes the team’s ability to retain both Covington and Embiid. That being said, the team may already have decided to part ways. If so, trading now only moves up the timeline.