The Philadelphia 76ers could be persuaded to trade Josh Richardson this offseason. Here are some potential trade packages.
Having committed the GDP of a medium-sized country to Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Al Horford, and Tobias Harris, the Philadelphia 76ers may not have the cap space to retain Josh Richardson once his contract expires in 2021. If so, a trade could be the only logical conclusion.
Whether he’s part of a larger package, or simply a one-for-one deal, Richardson could have many suitors on the trade market. While he struggled to stay on the court in his first year with the Sixers, talented 3-and-D wings tend to get attention in the NBA.
A trade could prove mutually beneficial. Richardson’s lack of playmaking feel was detrimental last season, both for his individual production and his fit in Brett Brown’s system. The Sixers could use a more natural playmaker, while Richardson would benefit from fewer responsibilities in the halfcourt.
A Richardson trade is not guaranteed, and he’s still good enough to provide value in Philadelphia — especially if Doc Rivers can find more creative ways to utilize the talent already on the roster. Richardson is a capable 3-point shooter, a top-tier defender at the point of attack, and a strong voice in the locker room. He is by no means someone the Sixers need to trade.
That said, if the Sixers determine Richardson’s days are numbered — he will command more than his current $10.9 million on the open market — then it would be foolish not to consider a trade.
5. Dallas Mavericks
While the 21st pick may seem like a steep price to pay, Seth Curry is on a team-friendly contract through 2022-23. He’s also a much cleaner fit, and provides Philadelphia with a floor-bending shooting presence that was sorely lacking in J.J. Redick’s absence last season.
Curry can handle point guard duties when necessary, and he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA — as his namesake would suggest. He can revive the Joel Embiid two-man game, or he can feast in Doc Rivers’ pick-and-roll heavy offense.
This is about as good a basketball fit as Philadelphia could hope for. Richardson’s stock is probably higher than his production last season would suggest. When healthy and in a more functional situation, Richardson’s prowess as a slasher and lightning-bolt scorer is extremely valuable. The Mavs also need more tenacity on defense. Richardson can boost Dallas’ perimeter D considerably.
Dallas is better equipped to make a decision regarding Richardson’s future. He can either be re-signed on a half-reasonable deal, or the Mavs can let him walk and use the cap space. The Sixers, with no cap space to speak of, would happily take on an assured three years of Curry.
4. LA Clippers
We have collectively reached the point where Patrick Beverley is overrated. He is not better than Richardson, but for Philadelphia, the improved fit (and extra year on his contract) could prove valuable enough. Beverley has a quicker trigger from deep and is more comfortable providing playmaking support in the halfcourt.
The Sixers also swap Matisse Thybulle, an admittedly exciting defensive prospect, for a former Sixers draftee who struggled at times last season. While Landry Shamet’s numbers were down in LA, he’s still a bonafide shooter who has indisputable utility in the Sixers’ rotation. He already has chemistry with Embiid and Simmons, too.
This would leave LA a little thin at point guard, which could be a turn-off, but if the Clippers are confident about free agency, it’s not hard to see the value in Richardson’s length, tough-mindedness, and occasional scoring spree. Thybulle is probably more valuable than Shamet in a vacuum.
The (slight) longevity of Beverley’s contract, the immense decongestion this trade would provide to the rotation, and the generally dire state of things in South Philly could easily justify this trade for Philadelphia. For the Clippers, an upgrade in talent — and necessary change in general — justifies it.
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.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC is on the verge of a rebuild. The Sixers may need to include draft compensation if there is competition in the market, but generally speaking, OKC probably won’t get much more for Schroder’s expiring deal. Richardson can better serve a rebuild if OKC decides to keep him around.
The Sixers, on the other hand, get a true point guard for the starting lineup. While Schroder isn’t a perfect fit, he is a better fit. He’s comfortable playing next to other playmakers, as he showed in OKC last season, but he’s also capable of taking the reigns offensively. His sneaky in-between game is something the Sixers would greatly benefit from.
Schroder does a lot of his damage out of the pick-and-roll, whether it’s making the basic pass to an open teammate, or getting downhill and putting pressure on the rim. Doc Rivers’ offenses have traditionally proven fruitful for guards in Schroder’s vein.
Again, Schroder is on an expiring contract and would probably bolt for a higher payday in 2021 free agency. But if the Sixers don’t need to part with a first-round pick, the exchange of one expiring contract for a more suitable expiring contract is worth trying.
Of course, if the Sixers attempt to pry Chris Paul from OKC, then Richardson is probably involved in that trade as well. He’d simply serve as filler on top of Al Horford’s contract.
1. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are probably content with Spencer Dinwiddie as a sixth man. He was just fine in that role when D’Angelo Russell was around. But if Brooklyn decides to search for better complements to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the Sixers should jump in with a Josh Richardson proposal.
The appeal for Philadelphia is obvious. Dinwiddie is a high-volume shooter, a bonafide point guard, and a generally cleaner fit in Doc Rivers’ offense. The Sixers have been dying for a late-game creator since Jimmy Butler walked, and Dinwiddie can help fill that void.
For the Nets, Richardson boosts the perimeter defense and fits comfortably as a third or fourth option in Brooklyn’s rotation. One of Richardson or Caris LeVert could then acquiesce to sixth man of the year contention. Either way, Richardson bolsters a fairly limited wing rotation as Joe Harris threatens to leave in free agency.
This trade package, while arguably the most ideal for Philadelphia, may be the least likely. It would require Brooklyn believing a great deal in Richardson’s talent and a clean bill of health, and it would also require a fairly subdued market for Dinwiddie. If he becomes available, expect other contenders — many of whom have more desirable assets than Philadelphia — to pursue.