Philadelphia 76ers: 5 Josh Richardson trade proposals

3. Indiana Pacers

Victor Oladipo probably won’t fetch a particularly high price on the trade market. He’s coming off a season of extensive rehab and inconsistent play after rupturing his quad in 2019. The Sixers, however, are needy enough to bet on Oladipo’s return to form.

This is a bit contradictory to my initial point, as Oladipo is on a larger expiring contract than Richardson ($21 million). Unless the Sixers make other moves, it would be hard to keep Oladipo beyond 2021 unless he vastly underperforms. Even so, with a roster built to win and a limited number of options, the Sixers could find Oladipo’s star-power too alluring to ignore.

At his peak, Oladipo helped Indiana force the LeBron James-led Cavaliers to seven games. He is an All-Defense honoree, a two-time All-Star with the Pacers, and an infinitely more decisive scorer than Richardson. He knows what he wants to do when he catches the ball, which couldn’t always be said for Richardson last season.

The Sixers’ ceiling raises significantly with Oladipo on the roster. Again, he’s far from a guarantee, and again, the 21st pick is no small price to pay. But Mike Scott is a veteran minimum player on a $5 million contract, and Zhaire Smith is virtually a lost cause. This essentially boils down to swapping Richardson’s skill set for Oladipo’s skill set.