Sixers swing on elite shooting big
SIXERS RECEIVE: Davis Bertans, Moritz Wagner
WIZARDS RECEIVE: Mike Scott, Terrance Ferguson, Tony Bradley
The Wizards have probably regretted the five-year, $80 million investment they made in Davis Bertans last offseason. The 28-year-old is playing 24.7 minutes per night and shooting a career-low 38.7 percent from the field. The length of his contract alone likely makes him available to the right suitor.
For Philadelphia, the temptation of expiring contracts — Scott, Ferguson, Bradley — could be enough to force Washington’s hand. Paying Bertans for another four years in a lengthy investment, but he’s one of the nuttiest shooters in basketball. His off-movement shot-making fits seamlessly next to Joel Embiid, and he could fill the vacant role of stretch-big in the second unit. The Sixers have no cap space to burn in free agency, and in the interest of maximizing short-term title odds, Bertans would certainly benefit this team.
The simple joy of a 6-foot-10 human filling the exact same offensive role of J.J. Redick is enough for me to endorse this trade in theory. While Morey will have much to think about financially, and we have no way of knowing ownership’s relationship to the luxury tax, this roster benefits greatly from another dynamic shooter.
If the Sixers can also get Moritz Wagner, a mobile young center who can shoot, then all the better. His future in Washington is bleak, and a change of scenery may do him good — even if he doesn’t receive playing time in Philadelphia. This is purely a financial move for the bottomed-out Wizards. The Sixers bite the bullet on Bertans’ contract and add his honey-sweet stroke to the second unit.