With trade season having officially begun, the Philadelphia 76ers will definitely start getting on the phones sooner than later. Tha transaction tables are now available for negotiations, and the moment a deal is finalized, the floodgates will certainly open for teams to follow suit, especially those in the Eastern Conference.
So far, the 76ers have been mum on the rumor mill. However, fans can already pinpoint the major problem areas for this team, specifically their defense at the forward positions, which remains sus at the moment. That makes someone like Houston’s Tari Eason a very appealing target for the front office.
Eason is one of the best up-and-coming players in the league on the defensive end, so it is only natural if the 76ers register their interest in trading for him. It remains to be seen whether the Rockets would be open to dealing him, but it is important to note that he is not without his faults. In fact, one of the biggest gripes with him is something which the entire fanbase is all too familiar with — injuries.
Tari Eason is a perfect trade target for the 76ers, but he carries a huge red flag
After appearing in all 82 games during his rookie year, Eason has since missed 99 contests of Houston’s next 190 outings over next three seasons (counting the current one). He has had numerous injuries, and despite having an imposing play style on defense, he seems to have a lot of difficulties just staying on the floor.
Of course, being an impending restricted free agent, trading for Eason in and of itself will be a very risky proposition. For starters, his price tag is prone to gouging, and the idea of the 76ers trading for another injury-prone player will probably turn off a lot of fans.
Now, the 76ers have numerous pathways to getting Eason via trade, but everything starts with the actual player they are zooming in on. For all the good things that Eason brings to the table, namely defense and a much-improved three-point shot (53.6 percent so far this season), availability is still the best skill. It would be in Philly’s best interest to approach Eason with guarded curiosity in all facets of a possible chase.
For now, the 76ers still have not bared their actual plan of action, but it is easy to envision them trying to trade for another forward. Tari Eason fits the bill of the player they really need, but there is no doubt that there is a major assumption of risk involved in moving the needle for him.