Sixers star center Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s home game against the Pistons, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid has missed the past three games with a sore left foot, including Philadelphia’s road win over Detroit on Sunday. P.J. Tucker is probable with a sinus infection after missing Sunday’s game.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Sixers forward Georges Niang hopes he’ll get an invitation to participate in the 3-point contest on All-Star weekend, according to Pompey. “The three-point contest, obviously, if you’re an NBA fan, you’ve paid attention to it and watched it,” Niang said. “If you ever get a chance to be a part of that, it would be an honor.” Niang is a career 40.7% 3-point shooter and has made 42% of his attempts this season.
- It’s no lock that the Raptors will deal Gary Trent Jr. before the trade deadline, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange said on “The Raptors Show.” (video link). After a rough patch, Trent has averaged 25 points per game in his last seven contests. Trent came off the bench for a stretch during a shooting slump. “He’s earned a lot of respect for how he’s handled himself as a pro and you look at his profile, his age, those guys are hard to find,” Grange said. However, Toronto will explore all options. “I don’t think it’s a certainty they’ll trade him. but I think it’s a certainty they’ll listen,” Grange added. Trent has an $18.56MM player option for next season.
- Scottie Barnes and Thaddeus Young exchanged words during halftime of the Raptors’ game against Portland. They downplayed the incident, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. “It was just a little disagreement. It was nothing serious,” Barnes said. “You have some disagreements but it was nothing serious.” Young said, “We just had a disagreement. No different than brothers going back and forth, especially when we’re both passionate about the game.” (Twitter link).
Thad Young for Pat Beverly
GTJ, Birch and a protected 1st for Mo Bamba and TRoss.
Raptors line up
FVV OG Barnes Siakim Bamba
Beverly TRoss Otto Boucher Precious
Flynn Banton Hernagomez Koloko
Bit of a jumbo starting line up but should be very very good defensively. Mo adds some spacing at the centre spot. Off the bench Beverly can run that second unit really efficiently. TRoss is still a good impact scorer, Otto 3 and D, Boucher can hopefully refind that form which had him in contention for sixth man of the year in previous seasons then Precious is the other big.
Overall they should be great defensively and a match up nightmare for most teams, but spacing will be a little bit of an issue and then just finding form and consistency.
If I’m the lakers I happily take Thad for Pat. Schroder can start and Lonnie at SG with Russ the back up and then Reaves his sidekick. No need for Pat. Whereas Thad would be great with AD always getting injured and even off the bench a do it all forward. They don’t really have anyone of note at that 6’7-6’9 size for depth.
Then the Magic, they’ve already said they are shopping Mo and are considering not picking up his team option. TRoss is on an expiring deal and has asked for a trade in the past I’m sure in their position they let him go. GTJ would be great as a shooter and floor spacer, also good at getting steals and could possibly fill the void they’ve had at SG. Birch is just salary matching and then a first in top of all that.
Win win win for all three teams
Love that trade, especially for the Magic!
Don’t like the trade for the raps… I feel like if we’re trading GTJ we’d be the ones getting picks back and I don’t think they’re are trading GTJ to retool I think it would intimate more of a rebuild
GTJ has a player option which is believed he wouldn’t pick up. Meaning he’s basically a FA that’ll leave. So you may aswell use him to get something back for.
Mo Bamba I think would be a terrific fit. Shot blocking, floor spacing centre. Really smart, hard working and cheap. Plus TRoss with loads of experience, known for being able to provide scoring off the bench. Not a total liability on defence either. Plus the pick would be heavily protected and simply used to get rid of Birch for a positive return.
If the Raps Trade, they’re going to want to tank, they’re not making a push for the playin to lose to BOS in 4.
As for both comments about trading to rebuild I don’t think this deal stops you from doing that.
Your giving up a heavily protected first and getting back Pat Bev and TRoss (both expiring deals) and Mo Bamba who is young and promising and if you don’t like him then his deal has a team option anyway.
So really your giving up a protected first to get rid of Birch and GTJ who will leave in FA for 2 good role players and Mo Bamba who could be a long term piece. GTJ is going to leave regardless and Pat and TRoss are both expiring so apple to apples there.
I believe it gives you a better chance at winning and if that fails then it doesn’t stop you from going to rebuild route either. Besides tanking for a better pick.
As for their playoff chances I’d be trying to line up with the nets who currently are second in the east. I think that’s a great match up for them. They have 3 really good players in Kyrie Simmons and KD but can get stuck in ISO ball. Whereas you have 3 really elite defenders to compare them in Scottie OG and Siakim and play in an offence which moves the ball around a lot which would exploit mismatches. Siakim is great being able to match up with KD on defence and stay with him and make it difficult and also OG able to play down and take on someone like Kyrie. Brooklyn sucks at rebounding and by adding Mo at the 5, I think you’d have the clear edge there and off the bench even better with Previous and Boucher against the nets who dont have a back up big.
If you made it past them that would then set them up against the bucks which again ain’t a terrible match up. Sikaim again can stay with Giannas and make it difficult for him better than most. Not to mention you have help in OG and Scottie and Mo as a shot blocking centre. This would be a really tight and entertaining series in which the bucks probably win but with injuries and stuff you never know.