The trade season this year has been nothing short of explosive. The NBA has already seen two blockbuster trades with the deadline still a few days away, and this rate, it would not surprise anyone if some other teams try to do the same, especially those that have been idle so far like the Philadelphia 76ers.
Frankly speaking, a lot of signs point to the 76ers eventually taking the bait and pulling off a major move. While they are now 10 games below .500, they still have a pretty strong chance of making the postseason thanks to the Eastern Conference being a top-heavy bunch this season. Heck, they are more incentivized to try and win this season than just tank outright as they do not have full control of their first-round pick this year.
The 76ers are not yet pegged to be in line for a blockbuster trade, but given what has transpired, there is really nothing that would shock anyone anymore. In fact, a new rumor may have just cracked open a window that Philadelphia can take advantage of by partaking in what could trump even the Luka-AD trade madness.
The Philadelphia 76ers could have what it takes to trade for superstar forward Kevin Durant
In yet another surprising twist to the trade market, the Suns are reportedly testing the waters about potentially trading Kevin Durant. Multiplle outlets have even bared that the All-Star is actually aware of Phoenix’s maneuvering, signaling that his time in the Valley may not be as long as expected.
One team, the Warriors, are rumored to be aggressively pursuing Durant, who was the main engine behind their two championships in 2017 and 2018. Having said that, Golden State has striked out on all of their targets so far, leaving the room open for other teams to swoop and cash in.
The 76ers, for example, have the machinations to make a trade for Durant work. Should the Suns embrace the reality that they likely will not win a championship with their flawed nucleus of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, pivoting to a youth movement would not be the worst idea out there.
Philadelphia has both win-now talent and draft capital it can dangle to entice the Suns to trade Durant. At worst, the 76ers could even sneak into a three-team trade scenario where the Warriors land Durant and the 76ers take on younger players like Jonathan Kuminga, among others.
While a bit of a reach at the moment, the Philadelphia 76ers have some options they could go with before the trade deadline. Dipping their fingers into the Kevin Durant sweepstakes is just one of them.