Today’s NBA Trade Deadline expired at 3:00 p.m. ET today with no moves by the Philadelphia 76ers, but they still have some cards to play to improve this roster
The Philadelphia 76ers are fighting to make the 2018 NBA Playoffs. With just 31 games remaining to play in the season, the 76ers are hanging onto their thread of hope for the eighth and final slot for the Eastern Conference post-season play at a record of 26-25. The Detroit Pistons are close on their heels at 27-26. So there is little margin for error if the Sixers have any lapse going forward.
But the Sixers are chasing the Cleveland Cavaliers (31-22), the Washington Wizards (31-23), the Milwaukee Bucks (30-23), the Indiana Pacers (30-25) and the Miami Heat (29-26). So any sudden hot streak could propel the team into a much more favorable seeding in the playoffs. So trip and tumble versus get hot and soar. Wow… the next two months are going to be exciting, right?
Wrong price, wrong priority, wrong time
So why would a team with enough assets and salary cap space avoid making a deal at the trade deadline? Well the fact is that many rumored trades were simply TOO costly. Many of the players on the trade block were partial-year rentals, but the asking price was a first-round pick. And it was a firm ask. No equivalents, no aggregate. Selling teams wanted too much for their value.
But the opposite side of the equation must be true as well. The Philadelphia 76ers were clear in their search parameters. The team investigated above average perimeter shooters, most likely wings, and likely wanted to pair it with an exchange of Jerryd Bayless. In the end, they did not find one. But does that mean the Philadelphia 76ers cannot improve? Well actually the team has three avenues. Let’s talk about them