4 Realistic trade targets for the 76ers and what they'd cost
3. Andre Drummond
Reunions at the trade deadline are quite the rarity, but the Philadelphia 76ers need all the help they can get at the center position. With Joel Embiid possibly out for the year, striking a deal for a proven center — which Paul Reed and Mo Bamba are clearly not — should be high on their list of priorities even if the reigning MVP has an actual window to return.
Look no further than former 76ers center Andre Drummond, who has morphed into one of the most productive bench players in the league in his limited minutes. Despite averaging a just 15.8 minutes per outing, the veteran center has registered 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game — an impressive feat considering his marginal court time and his team’s middling play.
Drummond doesn’t profile as an Embiid replacement on the offensive end, but he’s an even better rebounder than him (or anyone else, for that matter). A gaint presence in the paint, he offers a lot more defensive resistance against other starting-caliber big men than the 76ers’ current pair of stopgap bigs.
However, getting Drummond will not be a cakewalk. Multiple playoff teams have already penciled him in as a low-cost trade target, and that could give Chicago some leverage to gouge their price tag a tad, though not as far as requiring a first-rounder. Dangling a young player could give the 76ers an edge above the rest.
Cost: Young player & second-round picks