Philadelphia 76ers: Best Markelle Fultz trade idea with every interested team

If the Philadelphia 76ers are inclined to trade Markelle Fultz, there are interested suitors.

The Philadelphia 76ers are still awaiting the results of Markelle Fultz’s rehab in Los Angeles. As the former No. 1 pick looks to regain proper function in his shoulder, there have been rumors swirling.

According to Liberty Ballers, five teams have shown interest in the 20-year-old point guard: Detroit, Orlando, Cleveland, Miami and Phoenix. The report also notes that Phoenix has cooled off, which aligns with other recent reports.

While there’s no guarantee the Sixers look to trade Fultz, management seems split on the idea. The Sixers are looking to compete, so trading Fultz for a useful rotation piece — especially considering the team’s lackluster depth — could appeal to the front office.

Fultz is currently on the books for $8.3 million, a number that will rise to $9.7 million next season. The Sixers can clear considerable cap space by getting Fultz off the books, it’s just a matter of what has more value: cap space or Fultz’s potential.

If the Sixers were to engage in discussions with those teams, here are the best potential deals — starting with the most likely destination.

Detroit Pistons

Fultz and Detroit have been linked on multiple occasions. The LB report indicates the Pistons want to move Reggie Jackson in a potential deal, but the Sixers shouldn’t take on his salary. That would make a three-team trade more likely.

With that said, the report also says finding a third team for Jackson is “not a deal-breaker,” so let’s operate under those terms.

At face value, the Pistons’ desire to offload Jackson hints at a reset to some degree. The objective will still be to compete as long as Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin populate the roster, but the Pistons are clearly willing to shake up the rotation and make long-term moves.

The Sixers get two clear upgrades to the bench in Bullock and Smith, both of whom would get minutes right away. Mike Muscala would probably hang onto backup five minutes for spacing purposes, but Zaza is a decent upgrade over Johnson — even without the occasional three-pointer.

We broke down this hypothetical in more detail here.