The Philadelphia 76ers may have already bid adieu to the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but they definitely aren’t alone in the current losers’ lane. This postseason has seen some star-studded teams get booted out much earlier than expected, adding to the shock value that has been pervasive this time around compared to previous years.
Conjunctively, as mentioned repeatedly before, the 76ers have more than sufficient backing to be an ambitious hitman this offseason. After all, no other win-now franchise touts more spending power than Philly. Without further ado, here are four stars who are now eliminated from the playoffs whom the team could trade for this summer.
1. Darius Garland may just be the running mate to Tyrese Maxey the 76ers so desire
Sans Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, the Cleveland Cavaliers expectedly bowed out of the playoffs at the hands of the Boston Celtics. Now, with the promising team suddenly approaching an uncertain phase with regard to their best player, murmurs of a potential shakeup have now commenced.
Garland, a one-time All-Star, has clearly struggled seamlessly integrating himself into a reduced role with Mitchell in the fold. And with the latter’s delicate extension talks now underway, the young playmaker could find himself donning new colors next season if rumors about his camp trying to find a new home hold true.
In that case, Philadelphia should hurry to the phone and inquire Cleveland about its asking price for Garland. The 24-year-old, who has shown that he’s one of the most adept facilitator in all of basketball as a main ball handler, projects to be a good fit next to Tyrese Maxey, who is more comfortable as a part-time off-ball weapon than Mitchell. The 76ers would greatly benefit from having him as a stabilizer on the backcourt, which currently relies heavily on Maxey.