The Sixers‘ second-round exit against Miami has once again left the franchise searching for answers. With the core trio of Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey set, it’s up to Daryl Morey and the front office to augment the roster around them.
With very limited financial flexibility under the current CBA, Philadelphia may need to get creative on the trade market — especially with their first-round pick likely going to Brooklyn as part of the Harden trade. Morey has made several high-impact trades over the course his career, and creativity in his speciality.
Here are three players who Philadelphia could look to trade en route to roster improvement.
3 players the Sixers could trade in the offseason: Furkan Korkmaz
Furkan Korkmaz is due $5 million next season and $5.4 million in the 2023-24 season. He signed his extension last summer to widespread acclaim from the fanbase, but his disastrous 2021-22 season has changed the outlook on his career (and contract) quite drastically. By season’s end Korkmaz was practically out of the rotation. The Sixers would be wise to explore trading him.
The Sixers have too many one-way players in the second unit right now. Korkmaz only hit 28.9 percent of his 3s last season, but it’s not unreasonable to expect regression to the mean next season. He’s better than that number would suggest. That said, Korkmaz is a weak point defensively and the Sixers can only survive so many mediocre perimeter defenders.
With no real cap space to speak of, the Sixers could use Korkmaz to acquire a player signed somewhere in the mid-level exception range. Add a couple other players to the mix, and Philadelphia can bring back game-changing money to fill out the roster.
The Sixers have other shooters on the roster — most notably Isaiah Joe, who is in desperate need of an opportunity — and Korkmaz is the most expendable at first glance. He has been in Philly for a while and he has real chemistry with Joel Embiid, but his contract makes him a prime trade candidate as Philly looks to reshape the second unit.