The trade deadline for this season is less than a month away, yet the Philadelphia 76ers have not made any kind of noise whatsoever. But if the front office does get the itch to make an actual move, they could probably start by taking a hard look at some of the less known commodities who are actually available for taking, such as Haywood Highsmith.
The 29-year-old tweener has yet to log a single minute this season for his new team, the Brooklyn Nets. He is still sidelined due to injury, but he is expected to make his return shortly. However, with his ball club invested in its youth movement, Highsmith may not even get to sniff the court for the Nets this season given that he is definitely on the trading block.
While far from a household name, Highsmith can provide the 76ers with some of the things that still need bolstering. Even better, he is on an expiring deal, which makes him a very low-risk trade target who should also not cost a lot to acquire.
The 76ers should trade for Haywood Highsmith to shore up their depth
While he is undersized as a frontcourt player, Highsmith is a very capable tweener who can play both the 3 and 4 positions. Erik Spoelstra loved him as a plug-and-play piece in Miami, and there is good reason for that due to his efficient play.
Highsmith is a low-usage role player who can hit open threes and defend multiple positions, the latter being his main selling point. He is quick and agile enough to play a position down or two on defense while also offering more than enough resistance against bigger, non-center opponents.
With Nick Nurse being especially avid of changing up his defensive coverages, Highsmith would be a good piece to help him mobilize those adjustments. He also has experience in the playoffs, which is always a plus for a team looking to make a deep run.
On offense, Highsmith’s main trait is his three-point shooting. He had drained nearly 39 percent of his attempts from rainbow country in the last couple of seasons, and his shooting has been even better in the postseason as a career 40.4 percent shooter in the playoffs.
There is a lot to like about Haywood Highsmith for the 76ers. Hopefully, they capitalize on this available window and make a real push to snag him from the Nets prior to the trade deadline.