Unfortunately, the Philadelphia 76ers did not just get spanked on Tuesday night at the hands of the Magic. Somehow, the injury bug managed to find its way into the narrative stream, afflicting another key player for the team in the form of Trendon Watford, who had just strained his groin in unexpected fashion.
Watford will probably miss time. While the extent of his injury is still unknown, the 76ers have very little cushion behind him at forward. The coaching staff has already been playing some funky lineup combinations to minimize their hole at the 4 spot, and Watford’s new injury will only make things more difficult for the team. Kelly Oubre and Paul George’s absences further worsen their problem on that end.
As a result, the 76ers have no other choice but to start scouting the market for forwards who might be available for taking via trades. And with trade restrictions getting lifted in just a little over a couple of weeks, the timing could not be any better for the front office to commence those mini hunts.
The 76ers have no choice but to trade for a forward after losing Trendon Watford to injury
Watford’s all-around production will be highly difficult to replicate, especially since he has grown comfortable to operating as the team’s resident Swiss Army knife. Not only is he a good pot scorer, but he has also become one of their more stable floor spacers. His playmaking has been better than advertised, and his defense has been rock solid, too.
That kind of across the board production is not something the 76ers can patch up with their in-house solutions. As a result, it is imperative that the front office seek external help via trades.
By doing so, not only will the 76ers be able to soften the blow of Watford’s absence, but it will also allow the team to finally get rid of those players who have little to no use on the roster, such as Eric Gordon.
Size at the forward positions has long been one of the more obvious holes with the many iterations of the 76ers roster. And with the team not really having ample length on the other positions, it is not plausible for the coaching staff to keep on resorting to trotting players outside of their natural positions.
Hopefully, Trendon Watford will not be out for too long. After all, the 76ers simply cannot withstand not having him in the fold, especially with the recent string of losses they have racked up.