The tides are finally turning for the Philadelphia 76ers after basically slumbering for the first couple of months to begin the season. Winners of nine of their last 12 games, the team has steadily improved in the last few weeks, climbing to 11th place in the East after a considerable length of time wandering at the bottom of the league.
With the injury bug also slowly detaching itself from Philly, the team is now in a prime position to continue mounting its expectedly competitive bid moving forward, especially with the schedule softening a bit for the next couple of weeks. The team’s chemistry has improved dramatically, and the attendant results speak for themselves.
Still, there remain certain bona fide things to worry about this squad. The 76ers are still walking on a glass bridge with their injury prone stalwarts and aside from that, functional depth has once again been an issue this season. As a result, the front office has to explore the possibilities in the market to attract well-fitting players that can attend to these issues.
The 76ers are rumored to be targeting Euroleague standout Lonnie Walker IV
Fortunately, the 76ers front office does not appear to be resting on its laurels. According to multiple outlets, Philadelphia is one of the many teams currently bidding for Lonnie Walker IV, who has been playing in the Euroleague this season.
Walker, who actually managed to sign with the Celtics before the season only to find himself get cut as part of Boston’s cost-cutting measures, has emerged as one of the best players available in the open market. While not technically a free agent, his Euroleague deal has an NBA buyout clause, meaning he can freely sign with an NBA club even while his contract is in effect.
The 76ers eyeing Walker is already quite overdue. The uber-athletic wing somehow failed to find a home during free agency, but he packs a solid floor thanks to his scoring ability and athleticism. Instead of outright signing, say, Eric Gordon, who quickly became unplayable, Philly should have stepped out of its comfort zone by taking a flier on Walker.
Philly sorely needs help in the backcourt with Jared McCain lost for the season due to injury, and Walker would obviously be able to help in that regard as a microwave scorer who can get hot and defend capably when engaged.
Having said that, the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have stiff competition for Lonnie Walker IV, though they have the advantage in that unlike the other bidders, they have an actual playing spot already awaiting him should he return to the big league.