Despite a splendid run as of late that has catapulted them into a much more respectable 13-17 record, the Philadelphia 76ers still have a ton of work to do to truly get to there they want to be before the playoffs. After all, winning a championship, not merely qualifying for the postseason, is the goal for this ambitious franchise.
However, while they have stringed together an impressive stretch of basketball in the last few weeks, not many would be comfortable penciling them in as true contenders, at least not yet. The 76ers are still hoarded with holes on the roster, most of which need urgent addressing on the trade market.
At the moment, one of the biggest weaknesses of Philly is its inherent lack of size. The 76ers are almost always undersized on a nightly basis, which is exacerbated by Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond’s routine absences due to injury. Clearly, the team needs more big bodies to handle the grunt of the regular season.
Larry Nance Jr. would have been the perfect trade target for the 76ers were it not for his unfortunate injury
Taking a look at the list of available big men on the market, one player who fits the billing of a player who can immediately help the 76ers while being on a tradable contract is Larry Nance Jr., the veteran tweener who is currently playing for Atlanta.
Unfortunately for Philly, Nance is now unlikely to end up being a good target on the trade market after his latest injury. According to reports, the 31-year-old, who’s actually about to turn 32 on the flip of the calendar, will require surgery due to a broken hand, which would sideline him for a good chunk of the present campaign.
The 10-year veteran would have been a perfect get for Philadelphia. This season, he has honed his three-point shot, and has drained 52 percent of his three-pointers on good volume. Still a heady rim-runner who can defend his space, the 76ers would be hard-pressed to find a better and more versatile option in the frontcourt at that price range. After all, Atlanta was not expected to ask a lot for the big man.
For now, the Philadelphia 76ers will have to search elsewhere. They still have some attractive options to choose from, though they would have to pay a considerable price to get someone of actual on-court value, unlike with Larry Nance Jr.