Philadelphia 76ers: 3 trades we wish were April Fool’s Day jokes
It’s Aprils Fool’s day and it’s time to look back and see some of the trades from years past that made the Philadelphia 76ers look like fools.
It’s April Fool’s Day and it only seems appropriate to revisit some of the worst trades in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. These trades were so bad they were almost comical. The three trades that will be reviewed are going to in reverse chronological order.
Trading away Richaun Holmes
This terrible trade is still relatively recent as it occurred back in the 2018 offseason. Richaun Holmes was selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. He leapfrogged fellow big man Jahlil Okafor (third overall pick in the 2015 Draft) in the rotation just a year after both were drafted by the Sixers.
“It’s clear that trading Holmes for just cash was a mistake. He’s proven not only to be a high-quality backup, but he’s not a bad starter either.”
Holmes was an energetic big man that was an active rebounder and finisher around the rim. While he had an occasional lapse of judgment on the defensive end, he was still a solid defender for the most part.
In three seasons with the 76ers, he averaged 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks. In the summer of 2018, he had the team option of his contract picked up. He was looking like he was going to be a long-term backup for Sixers.
However, that changed when interim general manager and head coach Brett Brown decided to ship the young big man to the Phoenix Suns for $1 million in cash. It appeared that Brown was in favor of going with veteran big man Amir Johnson instead, but that soon proved to be a mistake.
The following season appears to have been Johnson’s last as it was evident that father time had caught up to the big man. Holmes flourished as the backup to Phoenix’s young star center Deandre Ayton. Last year Holmes averaged, 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.
Holmes signed with the Sacramento Kings this past offseason and had earned the starting job over veteran Dewayne Dedmon and young big Harry Giles. He’s had the best season in his career. He’s averaged 12.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks.
It’s clear that trading Holmes for just cash was a mistake. He’s proven not only to be a high-quality backup, but he’s not a bad starter either. If Holmes wasn’t traded, there’s a chance that some of the moves made last offseason (like signing Al Horford) doesn’t happen.