As we inch closer to the end of the first half of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers are far, far ahead from their expected destination at this juncture. Seated firmly at 11th place in the suddenly jam-packed Eastern Conference, there should now be a heightened sense of desperation from the squad on a nightly basis.
Problem is, the only legitimate momentum they had, which they conjured last month, is now history. Since the calendar flipped to 2025, they have lost six of their last eight games, the majority of which were pretty much winnable. Hence, they are now back to square one in their comeback trail.
Given these results, the front office has no more choice but to ensure that they make changes to the roster before the trade deadline with the concurrent goal of addressing the team’s woes and bolstering their shot at making the playoffs. Otherwise, they would basically be punting the season, despite it still being salvageable.
Grades: The 76ers trade for Santi Aldama in this proposed swap
In this trade proposed by Bleacher Report, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire big man Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for forward KJ Martin and three future second round picks, two of which are the former’s own.
With the 76ers urgently needing help in the frontcourt, especially at forward, Aldama would easily come as an easy fix. Standing at 6’11”, he would provide some much-needed size at forward, as well as open up more lineup options featuring him playing as a small-ball center.
Aldama, who is draining 39.1 percent of his three-point tries, would also be a welcome addition to a team struggling immensely from rainbow country. He also has great court vision for size, and his improved rebounding similarly makes him a viable option at center for longer spurts.
With Memphis potentially being unable to re-sign him next summer, trading him and extracting assets in return should be the way to go. And a return package centered around Martin, who fits well within their dynamic on both ends thanks to his sheer athleticism and youth, should be attractive enough. Alas, sweetening the pot with three future second-rounders is already appealing in and of itself.
The moment this trade framework becomes feasible, the Philadelphia 76ers should immediately jump in. Santi Aldama would fix a lot of their problems, even if he only stands as a half-season rental. At this point, it’s pretty much a worthy gambit.
Grade: A+