Philadelphia 76ers swipe Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III from Golden State
The Philadelphia 76ers’ first trade deadline domino has fallen.
After a breathless few days, Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office finally made a move ahead of Thursday’s 3 PM trade deadline. The Sixers will send three second-round picks to Golden State in exchange for Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This is a significant move, even if it doesn’t hint at the Al Horford trade many are desperately clamoring for. As someone who unconfidently predicted a Horford trade, recent information seems to suggest Philly will hold on to its biggest offseason acquisition. Brand is making moves around the edges.
Burks is having the best season of his career, averaging 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on .406/.375/.897 shooting splits. He’s viable as both a shooter and a playmaker, two obvious areas of need for Philadelphia.
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Burks could take over as Brett Brown’s undisputed sixth man. While one would expect Matisse Thybulle to remain an important contributor off the bench, Burks’ combination of shot creation, apt defense, and high-volume shooting checks a lot of boxes.
The Sixers need more players who can create easier looks for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Burks has spent time at point guard this season, and should find ample success in either two-man game. He’s averaging the highest assist mark of his nine-year career.
As for Robinson, he will also feature prominently in the second unit. He’s taking a career-high 3.5 triples per game, and knocking them down at a 40 percent clip. He’s someone who should surpass the likes of James Ennis and Furkan Korkmaz in high-leverage moments.
Robinson won the Dunk Contest in 2017. He’s liable for the occasional highlight dunk, and he’s no slouch on defense. At 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, Robinson has enough size to move around the positional chart quite a bit. He, similar to Burks, should fit smoothly in a variety of lineup combinations.
Next. 3 potential trade targets at center. dark
The Sixers have until 3 PM to clear two roster spots. According to Woj, Philadelphia is attempting to clear space via trade. If no deals get done, however, Jonah Bolden and Trey Burke are the most obvious candidates to be cut.