In just a few hours, the NBA trade deadline will officially lapse. But before the door for the league’s annual swap meet closes, the Philadelphia 76ers are believed to be ramping up talks with other teams to acquire a player or two that can help them chart the rest of the season.
No trade involving the 76ers has transpired yet, but the front office is apparently not sitting on their laurels just waiting for the lowest-hanging fruit — just what the team needs in the aftermath of Joel Embiid’s injury that has suddenly left them more vulnerable than ever before,
76ers “in talks” to trade for veteran guard and in-demand forward
According to the most recent intel from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Philadelphia 76ers are in talks with the Detroit Pistons for a trade that would send guard Alec Burks and forward Bojan Bogdanovic to Philly. The Pistons have already made a slew of moves this season and just recently, and their front office is hellbent on acquiring assets that can bolster their youth movement.
Burks, who suited up for the 76ers as a trade deadline acquisition back in 2020, is on the radar of multiple playoff teams. At 32 years of age, the 6’6 wing has remained productive off the bench for Detroit, posting 12.3 points in just 20.8 minutes per game on a blitzing 39.2 percent conversion rate from behind the arc. His contract will expire after this season
On the flip side, Bogdanovic has long been one of the most popular targets on the trade market. He’s once again among the scoring leaders for the Pistons, registering 20.2 markers per outing on a staggering 41.5 percent from three-point range. He’s owed approximately $20 million this season, but his contract is only guaranteed for $2 million next season, giving the 76ers someone who can help immediately without being a thorn on their books.
Both Burks and Bogdanovic would be upgrades for the 76ers in the guard and forward positions. With the team missing the league’s best scorer this season for at least a month, they can instantly assume significant roles offensively to aid the team on the interim and when (or if) Embiid returns.