The Sixer Sense
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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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CLEVELAND, USA – DECEMBER 9: Furkan Korkmaz (4 L) of Philadelphia 76ers looks on in the bench during the NBA game between Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers at Quicken Loans Arena on December 9, 2017 in Cleveland, United States. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, USA – DECEMBER 9: Furkan Korkmaz (4 L) of Philadelphia 76ers looks on in the bench during the NBA game between Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers at Quicken Loans Arena on December 9, 2017 in Cleveland, United States. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

Shallow Depth Chart

For now, the realistic depth for the 76ers is not deep at all. At small forward, the team has Robert Covington (.389) and Justin Anderson (.310). At shooting guard, the team has Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (.359), J.J. Redick (injured) (.405),  and Jerryd Bayless (injured) (.370). Each player’s three-point accuracy is listed. Right now, the team average is 36.3 percent for three-point shooting.  To get to the NBA’s top ten, the team must average better than 36.7 percent from three-point range.

Wesley Matthews average 38.9 percent from three-point range. And he has been shooting a consistant perimeter shot his entire career. But is he worth a first? Well that remains to be seen. The current situation for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 NBA Draft includes picks at 4 and 34. And if they are deliberately willing to part with Matthews, they are looking at getting stronger and younger.

Want youth? Talk to Sixers

The Philadelphia 76ers can help any team seeking young players. That is due to the fact that the team has more than their share of draft picks for the foreseeable future.  So while the team is turning the corner on a core of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and the hoped-to-return-soon Markelle Fultz, the value of so many draft picks to the team is waning.

But that can work to the Philadelphia 76ers advantage. They now have “liquidity”, or the ability to transfer assets to another team easily.  The stumbling blocks are simply to find a willing trading partner who wants draft picks, has valuable veterans they are willing to trade, and who are willing to accept multiple picks in the same draft.  Dallas appears to fit all three criteria.