Despite a desperate players-only meeting that left many hopeful they can turn their ugly start around, the Philadelphia 76ers still find themselves in a bottomless pit. Now touting a 3-13 record, every little hope that the team can even sniff the playoffs is fading by the day.
Injuries, inconsistency on both ends, and coaching inefficiencies have all amalgamated to give 76ers fans a massive turn-off, if not utter disaster. Still, there is enough time for them to salvage this campaign, although that would require the front office to step in and make apt moves.
With trade season starting in just a tad more than two weeks, here are three trades Philadelphia can pursue to help awaken them from their slumber.
Three trades the 76ers can pursue to turn their season around
Disclaimer: These trades cannot be done until after December 15.
At this juncture, pinpointing the 76ers’ weaknesses is not rocket science. Two of the most pressing ones are three-point shooting and size, traits that both Santi Aldama and Luke Kennard possess. Aldama, in particular, is a very attractive commodity, as he is a legitimate three-and-D big man who also has good court awareness.
Aldama would easily be a malleable frontcourt piece for a 76ers team in dire need of big bodies. Kennard, on the flip side, would be a massive boost to the league’s second-worst three-point shooting team.
Again, the 76ers should do everything in their power to add size and subsequently, more resistance defensively, at forward. One player they have already been targeting for quite some time now is Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, whom Brooklyn will surely make available when the trading season opens.
Finney-Smith brings little on offense aside from his three-point shooting, but it is his defense and size that make him an ideal target. He is a great connector on the less glamorous end of the floor, and he figures to be a perfect component that can help bolster Nick Nurse’s switchy schemes on that side.
Another point of emphasis for the 76ers front office is to make yet another upgrade at center. Andre Drummond has been pretty underwhelming thus far, and plunging Yabusele into the role on a full-time basis would be very taxing for him.
Thus, they should explore making a move for Daniel Theis. The Pelicans have little use for him, and the 76ers should welcome the opportunity to usher in a low-cost veteran who is not a liability on both ends of the court.