2. Spencer Dinwiddie
VERDICT: Treat
If the Sixers can get Spencer Dinwiddie in exchange for Josh Richardson and filler, it’s a no-brainer. While Richardson might perform better in a vacuum — and he’s certainly a cleaner fit next to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn — Dinwiddie’s skill set is tailored much more to what the Sixers need.
What Philadelphia needs is a true point guard. A guard who create for others, create his own shot, and a man who can elevate the offense late in games. In the absence of Jimmy Butler last season, the Sixers struggled to close games. Dinwiddie is no Butler, but he’s an electric shot-maker who can give Philadelphia someone to turn to other than Joel Embiid.
Dinwiddie would thrive in Doc Rivers’ up-tempo, pick-and-roll heavy system. He’d be able to work out of two-man games with Embiid, and he’s a good enough shooter — or at least a high enough volume shooter — to coexist with Ben Simmons. Dinwiddie is a gunner, and the Sixers have long needed a gunner. Especially one who still uplifts his teammates, a la Dinwiddie.
While Philadelphia and Brooklyn trading in-division among contenders would break precedent to some degree, this is a trade that could tempt both sides. The Sixers get a guard who can dribble and shoot, while the Nets get a defensive grinder and a sturdy leadership voice.