The Philadelphia 76ers still have those occasional losses that irk a lot of people, but they are close to getting into that inner circle of contenders for the Larry O’Brien trophy this season. As such, fans and pundits alike are still divided on what kind of disposition the front office should take in the trade market before the deadline.
Bleacher Report, however, predicts the 76ers to be clear-cut buyers in the trade market prior to the February 5 cut-off. In fact, the media outlet suggested that the front office could look to consolidate the expiring contracts of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes and sweeten the pot further by making Jared McCain available for taking in order to lure in a splashy acquisition.
Those three should be enough for the 76ers to get their hands on another starting-caliber rotational piece. However, there is definitely some degree of risk associated with such a move, although the team could definitely end up getting much closer to title contention if they pursue the right player — all without sacrificing their future and financial flexibility.
The 76ers could take a bold step before the trade deadline
The 76ers already have an abundance of raw talent on the roster, but there are still some glaring issues on the roster that need addressing. Their depth at the forward positions has to be shored up, for example. Likewise, theire perimeter defense and three-point shooting could still be much better.
Rounding up the salaries of Grimes and Oubre will certainly put the 76ers in position to make a move for a valuable role player. However, some of the trade candidates which they could pursue by then, such as Herb Jones, require additional draft compensation, which makes such a disposition a bit of a risky one.
Still, the 76ers are capable of making a bit of a splash before the deadline. However, it will require them to make some sacrifices for the future in order to double-down and augment their chances of capturing the title this season. It will be up to the front office to make that definitive estimation and decide whether going all-in — as if they haven’t already — is the right decision.
To be frank, the Philadelphia 76ers already have the tools necessary to make a deep playoff run. However, there is always room to improve, and the front office definitely has the ammo necessary to take their win-now stance up a notch and surprise people before the February 5 trade deadline.