The NBA trade deadline is inching closer, and the Sixers are expected to seek improvements to the roster. Philadelphia currently holds the No. 1 seed, but with Brooklyn looking increasingly fierce and the Bucks still built to contend, it’s foolish to assume Daryl Morey is comfortable with the status quo.
There’s a good chance the Sixers move mostly on the margins. There is no blockbuster trade that feels inevitable, but there are affordable shooters, backup bigs, and guards who could be had for a modest price. Even an improved bench would up the Sixers’ slim title odds.
With the big day — March 25 — now around the corner, here are three bold predictions as to what the Sixers accomplish.
Sixers trade deadline prediction: Tyrese Maxey stays put
There are mixed signals surrounding Maxey’s involvement in the James Harden saga. Some would have you believe the Sixers could have had Harden, if only Maxey had been included. That’s hard to believe — Morey’s not stupid, he knows how special Harden is, and it’s abundantly clear Houston had no real desire to facilitate Harden and Morey’s reunion.
Even so, it’s clear the Sixers did place a premium value on Maxey early in the season. Now that he has spent two-thirds of the year stuck to the pine, it would be interesting to know if the front office has changed its tune. Maxey’s flashes have exhilarated, but his small stature, inefficient shooting, and defensive shortcomings loom large. If the Sixers truly want to compete, he’s the kind of long-term project you might exchange for a win-now piece.
That said, expect Maxey to stay put. Even if the Sixers pull out a big trade, it seems the front office is a fan of Maxey and his potential. Understandably so, as his version of quick-twitch athleticism and herky-jerky slashing have been altogether absent in recent iterations of the Sixers backcourt.