NBA Rumors Philadelphia 76ers Plan B Hawks SG Marco Belinelli

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Plan B at a 2nd round pick price

The Philadelphia 76ers are the only game in the trade market with the ability to dictate the market value. With more picks and better 1st rounders than any other current buyer, the 76ers can impose enough protections on a first to remain the high bid, but not overpay for a partial year player.

But the team may not be sold on the players sought at the current asking price. After all, the feature of most players are the short duration of their existing contract. For the Philadelphia 76ers, that helps maintain sufficient salary cap space, but it does nothing to provide some semblance of continuity going into the 2018-2019 season. For a first round pick, that’s a wide chasm to jump.

What does Belinelli bring?

Well, he’s had a storied NBA career. Or putting it another way, he’s been to seven different teams in 11 years. That unto itself suggests that he has either failed to deliver to expectations, or ended up on a team which decided to go in a different direction.

Neither of which suggests “build a team around me” in the small print. But he does have some time with the San Antonio Spurs. That’s a huge plus.

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Belinelli is comfortable in a bench role, starting just one of 52 games played. He will not add much to the team on defense, putting up less than two rebounds and under one steal per game. He does have good handles, as he averages just one turnover in 23 minutes played. To put that into perspective, the Philadelphia have no comparable player. Additionally, he seldom fouls his opponent. If those are qualities the team needs, then perhaps he is a good candidate. Personally, I prefer Lou Williams. But if the Sixers can negotiate a fair price, then Belinelli could help the team’s bench considerably.