5. Tomas Satoransky, Washington Wizards
The Wizards are beginning to turn things around, but a shake-up still feels inevitable. Tomas Satoransky has seen his role decrease this season, with the Wizards’ chaos overshadowing a few questionable rotational decisions.
If the Wiz aren’t committed to Sato — he’s averaging 14.5 minutes per contest — the Sixers should swoop in. He’s on an expiring contract with a reasonable price tag, making him an easy target.
There has been plenty of talk about the Sixers pursuing Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr. or Kelly Oubre. Even Philly native Markieff Morris has come up in some discussions. Satoransky, while not an elite talent, might present the most natural fit.
At 6-foot-7, Sato can man either guard spot. He’s also a career 39.9 percent three-point shooter, allowing him to play next to Ben Simmons. The Sixers need secondary ball handlers who can, you know, shoot. It’s easy to picture Satoransky supplanting McConnell or Furkan Korkmaz in the rotation.
The outline for a potential trade is pretty straightforward.
In Justin Patton, the Wizards get a young big on an expiring contract. If he gets healthy and shows promise, it should be easy to retain him next summer. If not, he’s salary off the books for a team lacking financial flexibility.
The Sixers can also fork over one of several second-round picks, giving the Wizards some extra motivation to part with an underutilized veteran.