Assuming Joel Embiid's knee injury isn't anything major, the Philadelphia 76ers have a real chance to make their long-awaited playoff breakout a reality. Their proximity to contention, though, should not be a reason to keep it cautious at the deadline.
In fact, the opposite should happen. Because Philly has a path to the championship podium, this front office should be aggressively searching for upgrades who would improve their title chances. With a healthy collection of draft picks and several mid-sized salaries to make the math work on just about anything, the Sixers should be mentioned as potential suitors of the very best players on the market.
Not all of them are ideal fits, though. Deal for DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Kuzma, and there's a risk of sabotaging the offensive spacing. Add Dejounte Murray, and the Sixers could stall Tyrese Maxey's ascension. Splurge on a specialist shooter or stopper, and there's a chance that player gets schemed off the floor come playoff time.
The Sixers need someone with a fiery three-ball, the ability to create offense off the dribble and some degree of defensive competence. Bogdan Bogdanović checks every box. The 6'5", 220-pounder is pumping in 3.1 perimeter shots per night with a 37.1 percent splash rate. His 17.1 points per game are a career high, while his 7.3 turnover percentage is a career-low. His 54th percentile ranking in defensive estimated plus/minus isn't great, but he isn't someone Philly would have to hide on that end, either.
Now, he isn't cheap, as his four-year, $68 million extension just kicked in this season. He could be costly to get, too, as the Atlanta Hawks "seemingly want to keep [him] past the trade deadline," per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. Neither of those things should scare off the Sixers.
The 2024 free-agent pool is pretty shallow, and Philly would still have money to spend even after acquiring Bogdanović. Plus, the Sixers have enough assets to convince the Hawks that a trade is in their best interest. Philly can get something done, and it should, because he's an excellent on-paper fit with Embiid and Maxey.
"trade" - Google News
February 01, 2024 at 07:01PM
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NBA Predictions 1 Week Away from 2024 Trade Deadline - Bleacher Report
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