Nets present 76ers huge opportunity to fix self-inflicted catastrophe

After winning five consecutive regular-season games, the Philadelphia 76ers hierarchy was urged by Joel Embiid to retain this talented group of players and choose ambition over financial benefits, as the NBA window neared an end. Naturally, the 76ers did not heed this advice, choosing to duck the luxury tax threshold. This move has severely weakened their struggling bench unit. Now, the Sixers can solve this problem by dipping into free agency and signing Cam Thomas, who is now available.

It has been a rough trade deadline for the Philadelphia 76ers. General manager Daryl Morey had the opportunity to strengthen the roster from a position of power with the Sixers occupying the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference as of February 5. Nevertheless, the front office opted to sanction the trade of sophomore guard Jared McCain, who had hit a scoring purple patch from the bench in recent weeks.

Philadelphia needed just one game to display how desperate their bench situation has become in the post-McCain era. In a 115-119 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 76ers could only record 14 points from the bench, shared between four players.

Fortunately, Morey has been presented a chance to alter the course of this franchise's postseason destiny with a shrewd free agency acquisition.

Cam Thomas available after being waived by Brooklyn Nets

In the dying moments of the NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets waived Cam Thomas, allowing the 24-year-old to find himself a new employer in free agency. Given his reputation as an effective scorer, this will add a much-needed offensive punch to the Sixers' struggling secondary unit.

The Eastern Conference currently resembles a chaotic wasteland where any team still has an opportunity to establish momentum heading into the playoffs. Without adding versatility and depth to the roster, the Philadelphia 76ers will again heavily rely on Joel Embiid's dominant points tally to drag them to success. Cam Thomas may not be a long-term solution to the franchise's woes, but his scoring attributes would certainly enhance the 76ers' bench scoring until the end of the season.

Before entering free agency, Thomas had averaged 15.6 points and 3.1 assists per game. Most importantly, the former Nets guard started just eight of the 24 games he featured in, highlighting the positive contribution he can make from a less prominent role in the rotation.

Philadelphia witnessed firsthand the devastation that Thomas can enact when he is provided a stable foundation to thrive. During the Sixers' 129-105 defeat to Brooklyn on November 2, Thomas scored 29 points while draining 4-7 shots from three-point range.

Now that the trade deadline has passed, the Philadelphia 76ers have limited options available to them to strengthen their roster, which has been weakened due to the decision-making of the front office. Offensively, Cam Thomas can change the dynamic of the Sixers' struggling secondary unit. If the franchise is serious about supplying Joel Embiid with the players to win a championship, they have no choice but to make this move.