Without question, the Philadelphia 76ers went through one of the most drastic roster facelifts in the league this offseason. Aside from their blockbuster additions, the front office also brought in a handful of new faces to shore up their depth. Heck, without really intending to end up being one, the team might have just turned itself into an ideal seller before the trade deadline –– a rather strange dynamic for a team with championship aspirations.
Teams with ambitious plans to go for the title, like the 76ers, typically assume the role of buyer in the trade market. However, Philly's brain trust ended up ushering in valuable role players this summer. The direct consequence of this is that it made some of their mainstays quite expendable. That is precisely why the squad could take a peculiar direction on the transaction tables by being the one accepting bids.
The 76ers might have turned themselves into a seller in the trade market
For example, the addition of veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could prompt the 76ers to actively shop Justin Edwards in trades. The two-time NBA champion, after all, is a much more secure and proven option than the incoming third-year wing, who immensely struggled for the most part this past season.
Ditto for their current big men vying for a consistent spot in the rotation. One or two of Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker, and Ariel Hukporti could end up being the odd man or men out in case the 76ers settle on a firm option among that group, or get the itch for an upgrade in the middle of the season. That might also be the case if Dean Wade gets a more prominent role.
Alas, one could argue that Anfernee Simons, who was quietly one of the best signings in the free agency market this summer, has a good chance of becoming a hot commodity in trade rumors. The 76ers are not exactly lacking in backcourt options, and if rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. dazzles right from the get-go, that could be an impetus for the front office to take the wiser route and try to extract assets for Simons.
There are other trade frameworks that have the 76ers cudgeled into being sellers, but if there is one thing clear, it is that the front office has much more flexibility this time around. It is definitely not common for title aspirants like Philly to discard some of their contributors, but given their depth, they could very well end up assuming that robe despite what conventional wisdom suggests.
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