The Sixer Sense
Fansided

NBA Rumors: Should Philadelphia 76ers seek Mavs Wes Matthews?

By Bret Stuter

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 25: Robert Covington #33 celebrates with JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Houston Rockets at the Wells Fargo Center on October 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 25: Robert Covington #33 celebrates with JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Houston Rockets at the Wells Fargo Center on October 25, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 24: Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, General Manager Bryan Colangelo and Ben Simmons attend a press conference after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 24, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 24: Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, General Manager Bryan Colangelo and Ben Simmons attend a press conference after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 24, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Pay now, or pay later

But is there ever too much of a good thing? One area of weakness for this Philadelphia 76ers roster is their inability to best the NBA average for three-point shooting. While the team is improving overall thanks to the vast improvement from TLC, the team currently sits as 17th in the league on three point acccuracy, but is 13th in the league in attempts. So the team has some options at this juncture:

They can do nothing and hope players get healthy in time for a solid playoff-run.

OR

They can rotate players through on 10-day contracts hoping they turn up a fit for a perimeter shooter

OR

They can deal at the trade deadline.

Steady as she goes… blows

The problem with a wait and see so far this season is the dilution of talent this team has available.  When the team traded out Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas, and a 2019 second round pick for power forward Trevor Booker.  While Booker may be a solid pickup, he adds nothing to the team at the perimeter. In fact, his game, like that of Ben Simmons, is primarily in the paint.

In fact, in our review of the aggregate moves so far from the team’s front office, the trend so far is an exodus of NBA Draft picks with no greater show of talent as a result.   They are packaged as part of player swaps which masks the effect. But the team has traded for players, then traded those players out. And with each exchange, the net effect is that the team has fewer picks and fewer players.