With training camp just set to commence, it is probably way too early for the Philadelphia 76ers to start thinking about making major changes to their roster. That being said, this team is too eager to win the championship, so the front office has to be opportunistic in looking for ways to bolster their bid. To that effect, they might just have a good trade target out in Houston in the form of Marcus Smart, who could very well find himself being the odd man out for the Rockets.
Smart enjoyed a productive campaign for the Lakers this past season. He spent most of the year being a part of their starting lineup, and he was able to take things up a notch come playoff time. He was one of the main reasons why his team notched a playoff series win despite missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. However, he saw himself moving to the very team he helped beat in the postseason after signing a two-year contract with the Rockets.
The 76ers could target Marcus Smart amid a likely Rockets roster logjam
Houston did well signing Smart to a bargain-bin contract, but they actually have too many guards right now. Fred VanVleet is returning from a one-year absence due to injury, and both Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are going to log heavy minutes next season. The team likewise added Bogdan Bogdanovic this offseason, and one could argue that he offers a more needed skill package than Smart.
The 76ers could still use some more perimeter defense, and Smart is definitely someone who can fill that void. After all, while the veteran is no longer at his peak on D, he remains a formidable one-on-one defender who can stifle some of the best scorers in the league. The former Defensive Player of the Year can also guard multiple positions, and even a size disadvantage does not faze him.
Given that the veteran has a non-zero shot of seeing his role diminish, Philly's brain trust should seriously consider having him on their radar the moment he becomes trade-eligible.
Smart is set to make just $6 million next season, a figure that should notbe out of range for the 76ers to match. Heck, if this possible logjam in Houston materializes, the Rockets will most likely not even demand a lot in return.
As an added bonus, Smart is familiar about what it is like playing with both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, the 76ers' blockbuster additions this summer. Add in his ample playoff experience, and the veteran should be a capable contributor for a title aspirant like Philadelphia.
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