The Philadelphia 76ers are rumored to be in the market for an upgrade on the margins, which means that they will go gunning for better role players before the trade deadline. Fortunately for them, the Giannis Antetokounmpo mess might have just given them a golden ticket to pursue someone who is literally perfect for the team.
As everyone knows by now, the two-time Most Valuable Player has made it clear recently that he will never ask for a trade from the Bucks. However, given how much Milwaukee has struggled and how little of an ammunition they have for the future, they might be compelled to pull the trigger themselves anyway. One possible result of that is a subsequent fire sale, through which someone like Bobby Portis could be made available for taking.
In fact, the Bucks have already reportedly gauged the possible market for the veteran big man, so it is not like their front office deems him insulated from a midseason trade. But given the massive cloud casted over Giannis, Milwaukee will be better off aggressively shopping Portis. If so, the 76ers should immediately come knocking on their doors.
Bobby Portis would be a perfect trade target for the 76ers
The 76ers have a stronger cast of backup bigs behind Joel Embiid this time around, but an upgrade will further elevate their floor as a collective. Portis, who has been one of the best bench catalysts in the league this decade, would fit them like a glove.
Some variance in the frontcourt would be welcome, and Portis offers a lot of that with his three-point shooting. A bona fide stretch big, he is currently leading the NBA in three-point shooting percentage with a stellar 47.6 percent clip from downtown. He has drained 40.7 percent of his triples since joining the Bucks in 2020, so there is absolutely no concern in that regard.
Even better, Portis differentiates himself from other non-star stretch big men by being a great rebounder and a competent defender. He has averaged 8.1 rebounds in just 24.8 minutes per outing since 2020, which is a very impressive figure in itself. While not much of a shot-blocker, he is a reliable positional defender who can guard all frontcourt positions with relative ease, especially when paired with another big.
The 76ers badly need three-point shooting and bench scoring — two things which Bobby Portis can easily supply them with. As such, should the Giannis trade engine intensifies for the Bucks, Philly’s brass should capitalize and go after the veteran and NBA champion hard to bolster