Like most teams in the NBA title hunt, the Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to make some moves ahead of the February 9 trade deadline. According to recent reports, they might have other goals than just upgrading the roster before the playoff hunt.
Building a championship-ready roster comes at a price, namely the luxury tax bill. Some owners are more than willing to pay extra if it means playing in June, while others are more reluctant. Per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sixers are one team that will be looking to trim their bottom line in the coming weeks.
Currently, the franchise sits just over $1 million above the luxury tax threshold. Among the players who could be moved in a salary dump were Furkan Korkmaz and Jaden Springer.
Korkmaz has been a common fixture in the Sixers’ rotation over the years, but upgrades to the roster have resulted in less playing time for him. The 25-year-old has appeared in just 23 games this season and is averaging a measly four points per game.
After being drafted late in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer hasn’t gotten many opportunities on the big stage. Still only 20 years old, he has spent most of his time with the Delaware Blue Coats of the G-League.
When given the chance to play at the NBA level, Springer has shown some flashes. In the Sixers’ blowout win over the Detroit Pistons last week, he scored 10 points in eight minutes of garbage time action. Seeing that he’s still young, a rebuilding team might be willing to take a flier on him.
A trade for the Philadelphia 76ers to avoid the luxury tax
It might be considered a risky move, but the Philadelphia 76ers could take a swing on a former lottery pick while saving money.
Since joining the New York Knicks, it’s clear that Cam Reddish is not going to receive much opportunity to play consistently. According to HoopsHype, the Knicks had made the former No. 10 overall pick available with an asking price of just two second-round picks.
Parting with a young asset like Springer could be an overpay, but Reddish is an ideal fit for the Sixers. His three-and-D skillset fits perfectly next to stars like James Harden and Joel Embiid.
Before getting sent to the Knicks, Reddish was averaging 12 points per game while shooting close to 38% from beyond the arc. If he could re-create that for the Sixers, it would give them another capable wing to deploy when needed.
Reddish will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. This would give the Sixers the chance to keep him long-term or let him walk if things don’t work out.
In today’s game, a team can never have enough perimeter defense and outside shooting. Taking a flier on a guy like Reddish could come in handy for the Sixers when they have to face teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics.
His career might be off to a rocky start, but coming to a team like Philly would allow him to focus on one specific role. Which could be what he needs to get things back on track.