Philadelphia 76ers: 4 potential trades if the Washington Wizards implode

If the Sixers can get Bradley Beal, it becomes an absolute no-brainer. He’s better than most reasonable free agent options next summer, while his contract (and age) only make the situation more favorable. One might question why Washington is willing to trade him in the first place.

Just 25 years old, Beal is fresh off his first All-Star appearance last season. He’s also the Wizards’ best player, scoring efficiently at all three levels and showing vast improvement as a playmaker. His fit in the Sixers’ rotation is undisputed.

We’ve proposed a potential Beal trade in the past, but the circumstances are far different with Jimmy Butler involved. The Sixers would need to cut into their depth and put forth some serious assets with Robert Covington and Dario Saric no longer bolstering their asset trove.

That means Markelle Fultz is a given. Wilson Chandler, again, matches contracts. Zhaire Smith gives the Wizards another first-round talent on the wing, although his injury would require patience. The Sixers might need to throw in Furkan Korkmaz, Landry Shamet or Jonah Bolden for good measure.

In addition to their top assets, the Sixers would probably need to include a couple first-round picks. Beal’s situation differs from Butler’s in that he’s still on (a team-friendly) contract for two seasons after 2018-19.

A common question, I’m sure, is why can’t the Sixers sweeten the pot with J.J. Redick? It’s simple — since he’s on a one-year contract with Bird Rights, the 34-year-old essentially gets a no-trade clause. I doubt he gets excited about joining the Wizards.

The Sixers can probably get outbid in the Beal pursuit, but there’s no reason to get involved. He fits the timeline and the offense, giving them another perimeter shot creator who spaces the floor at an elite level.

Imagine an Embiid-Simmons-Butler-Redick-Beal starting five. The Sixers might become Eastern Conference favorites at that point. It’s just a matter of filling out the bench with workable veteran-minimum pieces.