The biggest trade the Philadelphia 76ers will regret not doing this season

Why the 76ers will regret not trading for Andre Drummond

Put simply, Philadelphia has been predictably bad without Embiid this season, going 9-19 in the 28 games the reigning MVP has missed so far. Naturally, the league’s leading scorer will leave a gaping hole on the scoring department, but his presence as a rebounder and the team’s defensive anchor also cannot be understated.

With Embiid in the lineup, the 76ers average 44.3 rebounds per game, a mark which would rank 10th in the league. Without him, the team corrals just 41.4 boards per outing, the fourht-worst tally among all teams. Rebounding is Drummond’s best skill, where he’s actually historically great, and while he’s far from a savant on offense, his presence alone is massive on the boards, especially in second-chance opportunities.

Admittedly, Drummond is still a limited player. That the Bulls continue to give Vucevic a huge serving of minutes is a testament to that. However, his seemingly dead value in recent seasons has seen a complete 180 thanks to his foreseeable effectiveness in more limited configurations.

Trading Martin, a seldom-used player whose skillset is tricky to shoehorn as a point of reliance, as well as three second-round picks (which are dispensable anyway due to their waning value), should have been their play. Unofrtunately, the Bulls gouged Drummond’s price tag and the 76ers decided not to cave in.

It may not hurt them in the long run, but not persisting on striking a deal for Andre Drummond could just be the difference between the Philadelphia 76ers being a playoff threat and an easy out this season given the context of Embiid’s situation.