Atlantic Notes: Simons, Porter, Towns, Sixers
Considered a clear-cut trade chip for a Celtics team expected to bottom out coming into the season, Anfernee Simons has instead emerged as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate as the C’s look to cement themselves as the league’s most unexpected contender, writes Gary Washburn for the Boston Globe.
Simons has always been a scorer, but after he spent several years in a starring role on a lottery team in Portland, there were questions about his ability to contribute to a winning team. Simons says he felt the weight of those questions and what it meant for how he approached his game.
“That’s the challenge, stepping into a new situation, new role and being able to come out and be successful — finding your success within the new role is asked of you,” Simons said. “You’ve got to change your thinking. You’re so programmed to think, if I don’t play well offensively, I didn’t have a good game. Now it’s changing, your mind-set. Coming into games you might not score as much but you played good defense, you made the right plays… You’ve got to be able to know that I did everything I could to help the team win in the time I was out there.”
As for Simons, he’s trying his best to focus on the on-court possibilities.
“I just want the opportunity to win,” he said. “Everyone wants to win a championship. But everybody might not be destined to win a championship, so you want yourself to be in the best position to win a championship. That’s all I want in my career, having no regrets wherever way it goes.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Michael Porter Jr. was not named to the 2026 All-Star reserves team for the Eastern Conference for the Nets. The numbers say he should have been, writes C.J. Holmes for the New York Daily News. Holmes notes that Porter is fifth in the East in scoring at 25.6 points per game, seventh in the NBA in made threes, and is tied for the 11th-most 30-point games this season. “It definitely would be a dream come true. It was in my mind as a kid to make the NBA, but not only be in the NBA but be one of the best players in the NBA. And an All-Star selection shows that progress,” Porter said back in December, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “But it’s definitely not what I’m thinking of. I’ve always tried to be more process-oriented and do the right things day to day, game to game, and let the results take care of itself.” With Giannis Antetokounmpo injured, the East will have at least one injury replacement named, meaning Porter will have another chance to be named to his first All-Star team.
- Karl-Anthony Towns was named to his sixth All-Star game on Sunday night, despite struggling with his offense this season. Knicks coach Mike Brown firmly believes the nod was well-deserved, writes Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “He’s leading us in rebounds, he’s second in scoring,” Brown said. “I don’t know how many double-doubles he has, but that’s impactful when you’re talking about doing it in a winning situation… We should have, in my opinion, two or three guys, at least, on this All-Star team based on what our record is.” Towns leads the league in rebounding at 11.8 per game, including 3.1 offensive boards, entering Sunday’s game against the Lakers.
- The Sixers posted the third-lowest rebound total in a game this season in Thursday’s win against the Kings, which only exemplified a season-long problem, Keith Pompey writes for The Inquirer. According to Pompey, the 76ers have ranked last in the league in rebounding in the past 11 games, due in part to the team going slightly smaller with Adem Bona getting the backup center minutes over Andre Drummond. With Joel Embiid averaging the fewest rebounds of his career at 7.5 per game, Pompey suggests coach Nick Nurse is considering going back to Drummond at times, depending on the matchup.
Paul George Suspended 25 Games For Violating League Drug Policy
Sixers veteran forward Paul George has been suspended without pay for 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program, the league announced (Twitter link). George’s suspension will begin with Saturday’s game against the Pelicans.
George won’t be eligible to play until Philadelphia’s last 10 games of the season. His earliest return date is March 25 against Chicago.
In a statement to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), George claimed that he took an “improper medication” to deal with his mental health issues.
“Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication,” the statement read. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates and the Philly fans for my poor decision making during this process. I am focused on using this time to make sure that my mind and body are in the best condition to help the team when I return.”
The suspension will have a huge impact in a variety of ways, most obviously on the Sixers’ drive to finish in the top six in the East and stay out of the play-in tournament. They’re currently 26-21, sixth-best in the East.
Another offshoot of the suspension is that Philadelphia will receive a tax variance credit of $5,871,147, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). That will move the Sixers just $1.26MM over the luxury tax, Marks notes (Twitter link), giving them added incentive to shed a little salary at the trade deadline in order to become a non-taxpayer.
While Joel Embiid said this week that he hopes the 76ers won’t prioritize ducking the tax, that was when the team was operating roughly $7MM above the luxury tax line. The equation will likely change now that a minor move involving a non-rotation player – rather than a key contributor like Kelly Oubre Jr. or Quentin Grimes – could get the team below that threshold.
In 27 games this season, George is averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per night. The suspension will cost him $11,742,293, per Marks, who observes that George can be moved to the suspended list after the fifth game of the ban. In that scenario, he wouldn’t count toward the 15-man roster during the final 20 games of the suspension, temporarily freeing up an extra roster spot for Philadelphia.
The Sixers signed George to a four-year, maximum-salary contract in the summer of 2024 but it hasn’t gone well so far. George spent most of last season dealing with injuries and the Sixers have tried to manage his persistent knee issues with load management this season.
Spencer Jones Among Two-Way Players Nearing Active-Game Limit
Second-year forward Spencer Jones has emerged as a key part of the Nuggets‘ rotation this season, starting 31 games and averaging 23.5 minutes per night for the Western Conference’s No. 3 team. However, Jones’ two-way contract only allows him to be eligible for up to 50 regular season games and he’s just three away from that limit — he has appeared in 43 contests and was a DNP-CD in four more early in the season.
While the Nuggets have let Jones and his representatives know that they want to promote him to the standard roster, the 24-year-old is also aware he may run out of games before that happens, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required).
“You want to figure out, where you’ve got a championship push, everything you need to make that push. So yeah, I always knew the decision wasn’t going to be until the (trade) deadline, (that it) won’t be decided until around then,” Jones said. “I may run out of games before then. So they’ve mentioned the possibility of sitting out one or two just ’cause. So we’ll see how it pans out.”
Denver has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so the front office could convert Jones’ contract today without making a corresponding move. However, the Nuggets will likely want to hold that spot open for a few more days to maximize their roster flexibility at the trade deadline.
The Nuggets are also operating above the luxury tax line by about $400K and have reportedly made it a priority to finish this season as a non-taxpayer. That means Jones might have to wait for his promotion until after Denver makes a move to shed a little salary.
If they were to trade one of their lowest-paid players without taking back any salary, the Nuggets could sign Jones and remain below the tax line due to the gap between a full-season and prorated salary. For instance, Hunter Tyson‘s deal features a $2,221,677 cap hit, whereas a minimum-salary contract for Jones would count for just $871K as of February 6 (Denver could also use a portion of its mid-level exception to sign Jones for more than the minimum).
“Whatever happens with Spence, he’ll be fine. What he’s done and what he’s put on tape is a professional basketball player that belongs in a rotation,” head coach David Adelman said. “And he’s earned it. … We’ll figure it out. What that means, I don’t know. And those are Ben (Tenzer) and Jon (Wallace) questions; we’ll have that conversation with them. But we’ll do the best we can do for (Jones) and for the whole roster as we go forward.”
As Durando points out (via Twitter), Jones got a bit of a reprieve when the Nuggets had a game postponed last Sunday and rescheduled for March. But Denver still plays four times between now and next Thursday’s deadline, so if the club isn’t ready to promote Jones until after the deadline, he’ll have to sit out one of those four contests.
There are several other two-way players around the NBA who are nearing their active game limits. Here are the players who are within 10 of the limit, with the number of games they have remaining noted in parentheses:
- Chris Youngblood, Thunder (2)
- Pat Spencer, Warriors (3)
- Jabari Walker, Sixers (3)
- Note: The Sixers have reached their limit of 90 “under-15” two-way games and must maintain a full 15-man standard roster to use their two-way players.
- Daniss Jenkins, Pistons (4)
- Johnny Juzang, Timberwolves (4)
- Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Cavaliers (5)
- Sidy Cissoko, Trail Blazers (7)
- JD Davison, Rockets (8)
- Ryan Nembhard, Mavericks (9)
- Caleb Love, Trail Blazers (10)
- Kobe Sanders, Clippers (10)
Giannis Trade Rumors: Timeline, Lakers, Sixers, Raptors
Although the Bucks are more willing than ever to consider trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the widespread expectation around the league is that the Giannis saga will extend to at least Thursday and potentially well beyond that, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
As Bontemps and Windhorst note, general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks won’t want to rush into an Antetokounmpo trade without making sure they’re getting the best deal they can. Three sources who spoke to ESPN speculated Milwaukee will decide not to pull the trigger until the offseason.
“I’m just not sure why it wouldn’t make sense to wait,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “They can see where the draft (lottery) is, and survey their options then.”
Several of the teams involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes will be in position to offer stronger trade packages in the summer. For example, the Knicks don’t have any of their own first-rounders to move now, but could put two (2026 and 2033) on the table in the offseason. The Heat have two of their own first-round selections available right now, but could offer as many as four (one would be conditional) in June.
Additionally, Bontemps and Windhorst write, the fact that Antetokounmpo is currently out indefinitely due to a calf strain is another factor for the Bucks to consider as they decide whether or not to wait. If Milwaukee plans to pivot into tank mode to improve its 2026 first-rounder (the team controls the last favorable of its own pick and the Pelicans’ pick), hanging onto the superstar forward and shutting him down may be the best way to do so.
Here’s more on Antetokounmpo:
- Appearing on The Zach Lowe Show (Spotify link; 19:00 mark), Howard Beck of The Ringer suggested the Lakers may appeal to Antetokounmpo as a landing spot. “I was told recently that the Lakers were a team to keep an eye on from Giannis’ standpoint, just as another team of interest,” Beck said. However, he acknowledged that Los Angeles probably doesn’t have the pieces necessary to make a strong offer, at least until the offseason. The Lakers can only offer one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) right now, but could include up to three (2026, 2031, and 2033) in an offseason package.
- While one Thursday report suggested Antetokounmpo is intrigued by the idea of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia, there has been no indication to this point that the Sixers are planning to make a play for the nine-time All-Star. In fact, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link) spoke to a league source who “completely shot down” the idea that Philadelphia would be willing to include standout rookie VJ Edgecombe in an offer for anyone on the trade market, including Giannis.
- Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca spoke to several sources around the NBA about what it would take for the Raptors to acquire Antetokounmpo, and the general consensus was that the Bucks would be unlikely to make a deal that doesn’t include Scottie Barnes. One executive who talked to Grange suggested that Toronto could still make a competitive proposal centered around draft assets (four first-round picks and three pick swaps) and promising youngsters like Collin Murray-Boyles and Jamal Shead, but Grange views either scenario as a long shot.
- In the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (YouTube link) observes that teams pursuing Antetokounmpo will have to determine not just whether they’re comfortable giving up a huge trade package for him, but also whether they want to do a four-year extension projected to be worth $275MM when he becomes eligible in October. That contract would begin in 2027/28, his age-33 season. “I think most teams would say yes, but I’m not sure everybody would. In fact, I know that,” Windhorst said. “There’s one team I talked to who would be able to put a package together, a pretty compelling package, and they said, ‘We’re just not crazy about that contract, with our other options that we can do. Just don’t know if we want to commit to $275MM to him.’ And you can’t trade all that stuff if you’re not that committed to him.”
Embiid Hopes Sixers Don’t Prioritize Ducking Tax
At the 2024 trade deadline, the Sixers traded Danuel House and Jaden Springer in order to dip below the luxury tax line. They took a similar approach in 2025, getting out of tax territory by making deals involving Caleb Martin and KJ Martin.
Philadelphia is operating roughly $7MM above the tax line this season and there has been speculation the team will once again be looking to make cost-cutting moves at the deadline, but star center Joel Embiid suggested on Thursday that he’s hopeful the front office won’t go that route, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required).
“We’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years,” Embiid said (Twitter video link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports). “So hopefully we keep the same team. I love all of the guys that are in here. I think we got a shot.
“I don’t know what (the front office is) going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great. … Hopefully we think about improving because we have a chance.”
Expectations were modest for the Sixers this season after they battled a bevy of injuries and won just 24 games in 2024/25. But the club has already exceeded that win total through its first 47 games, with Embiid and Paul George playing more frequently, Tyrese Maxey ascending to a new level of stardom, and lottery pick VJ Edgecombe emerging immediately as a reliable starter. At 26-21, Philadelphia currently holds the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers could move below the luxury tax line by trading either Quentin Grimes ($8.74MM) or Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.38MM), who are on expiring contracts. However, both players have been important parts of the team’s rotation, and sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst that the team isn’t pursuing a salary-dump deal involving either player.
Philadelphia is reportedly open to trading reserve center Andre Drummond, but moving his $5MM expiring contract wouldn’t be enough to get the club out of the tax. Even dealing Drummond and a second player who is earning the veteran’s minimum (say, Eric Gordon) would offer only a temporary reprieve, since doing so would drop the Sixers to just 12 players on standard contracts. They’d have to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 within two weeks, which would put them back into tax territory.
Getting out of the tax would be a financial boon for ownership — besides eliminating a $7.5MM tax bill, it would make the team eligible for an eight-figure payment at season’s end from the league-wide luxury tax pool. But after having spent the last two seasons as a non-taxpayer, the Sixers have successfully reset their repeater clock, so they shouldn’t feel as much urgency as they did in 2024 or 2025 to shed salary.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Intrigued By Wolves, Sixers?
Confirming reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) say the Timberwolves should be included among the group of teams considered serious suitors for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Minnesota doesn’t currently have a tradable first-round pick, but Stein and Fischer hear that Antetokounmpo has “quietly had the Timberwolves in his thoughts” for some time and would be very intrigued by the possibility of teaming up with star guard Anthony Edwards. While Giannis doesn’t hold a no-trade clause, he’ll have some leverage in the Bucks’ trade talks, since any potential trade partner would be reluctant to give up a massive haul for a player who could reach free agency and head elsewhere as soon as 2027.
As Stein and Fischer observe, the Wolves weren’t willing to include forward Jaden McDaniels in an offer for Kevin Durant last year and have been reluctant to make many of their higher-paid rotation players available this season as they scour the trade market for backcourt help. But the expectation is that they’d be much more open to discussing McDaniels and others as part of a potential package for Antetokounmpo.
Surveying the market for the two-time MVP, Stein and Fischer touch on several other teams, including Philadelphia. The Sixers haven’t contacted Milwaukee about a possible Giannis deal to this point, but they’re on his radar, according to The Stein Line’s duo, who point out that Antetokounmpo and Sixers star Tyrese Maxey both work with trainer Drew Hanlen.
Here are several more Giannis-related updates:
- Antetokounmpo’s potential interest in the Heat dates back to at least 2020, when he had Miami high on his list of possible landing spots if he didn’t sign an extension with the Bucks, per Stein and Fischer. He also reportedly had interest in joining the Knicks last summer. Still, it won’t be easy for either team to win a bidding war for the star forward. According to The Stein Line, some sources around the NBA have wondered whether New York missed its window to land Giannis and believe that a complicated multi-team framework would be necessary to get him to the Knicks at this point.
- According to Stein and Fischer, several rival front offices have wondered if the Bucks are trying to establish asking prices with potential Antetokounmpo suitors now before holding a full-fledged auction in the summer, when several teams will have more tradable first-round picks available. “They’re asking for the moon,” one general manager told The Stein Line on Thursday. “All of your young players and all of your draft picks.”
- Early indications are that the Hawks haven’t entered the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and don’t intend to, Stein and Fischer write. That echoes reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic, who said Hawks team officials were conveying on Wednesday that they aren’t involved on Giannis and are taking a long-term approach with their roster. Forward Jalen Johnson and the Hawks’ most favorable 2026 first-round pick (either the Pelicans’ or Bucks’ selection) would be extremely valuable trade chips, but Atlanta reportedly isn’t interested in parting with either one and has some reservations about how Antetokounmpo and Johnson would fit together, per Stein and Fischer.
Scotto’s Latest: Celtics, Simons, Boucher, Wolves, Knicks, More
Avoiding the luxury tax this season isn’t necessarily a top priority for the Celtics, who have conveyed to rival teams that they’re not looking to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons‘ expiring $27.7MM contract in a cost-cutting move, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Presumably, the Celtics would remain open to the idea of moving Simons and draft compensation for a meaningful upgrade, but not for a lateral move that simply reduces their tax bill. For instance, Scotto says the Bulls inquired earlier this season about a swap of Simons and a first-round pick for center Nikola Vucevic, which didn’t interest Boston.
On the other hand, the Celtics did kick the tires on the possibility of a deal sending Simons, a first-round pick, and a first-round pick swap to the Clippers in exchange for big man Ivica Zubac and salary filler, but they didn’t gain any momentum on that front, per Scotto. Having won 16 of their past 19 games, the Clippers reportedly aren’t entertaining the idea of a Zubac trade at this point.
Although they’d be open to a deal that upgrades their frontcourt, the Celtics are also weighing the possibility of trading some of their depth in the middle, given that Neemias Queta has played well as the starting five and Luka Garza is handling the backup role. Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman are possible trade candidates, Scotto writes, citing league sources who say the Hawks, Sixers, and Suns are among the teams to express exploratory interest in Boucher.
Here are a few more of the highlights from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Timberwolves have been receiving calls from rival teams about key contributors like Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo, but they highly value those players and aren’t looking to move any of them, according to Scotto. McDaniels is viewed as borderline untouchable, while Minnesota would likely only seriously consider moving Reid and DiVincenzo for an All-Star caliber player, Scotto adds.
- Although there were some whispers about the possibility of the Spurs and Knicks swapping Jeremy Sochan for Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet, San Antonio wasn’t interested in that construction due to Yabusele’s $5.8MM player option for next season, says Scotto.
- As the Knicks consider their trade options, they’re willing to include the Wizards’ top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick to upgrade their roster, per Scotto. That pick almost certainly won’t convey, which means it would instead turn into Washington’s 2026 and 2027 second-round selections, but given where the Wizards are in their rebuild, those second-rounders are still considered valuable.
- As Ayo Dosunmu nears unrestricted free agency, some executives around the NBA believe the Bulls guard will be in line for a contract in the neighborhood of the full mid-level exception or even higher, Scotto writes.
Flagg, Knueppel, Edgecombe Among Rising Stars Participants
The 2026 Rising Stars event will feature 11 sophomores, 10 rookies and seven G League representatives, the NBA announced in a press release. The mini-tournament will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on February 13.
Here’s the full list of participants:
Rookies
- Cedric Coward, Grizzlies
- Dylan Harper, Spurs
- Egor Dёmin, Nets
- Tre Johnson, Wizards
- VJ Edgecombe, Sixers
- Kon Knueppel, Hornets
- Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors
- Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
- Derik Queen, Pelicans
Sophomores
- Matas Buzelis, Bulls
- Alex Sarr, Wizards
- Stephon Castle, Spurs
Reed Sheppard, Rockets- Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers
- Cam Spencer, Grizzlies
- Kyshawn George, Wizards
- Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers
- Ajay Mitchell, Thunder
- Kel’el Ware, Heat
- Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
G League
- Sean East II, Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz‘s affiliate)
- Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
- Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
- Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets‘ affiliate)
- David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
- Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers‘ affiliate)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
All 10 of the rookies — headlined by No. 1 overall pick Flagg, No. 3 Edgecombe, and No. 4 Knuppel — were lottery selections in last year’s draft, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links). By contrast, only five of the sophomores were lottery picks, with three being first-rounders outside of the lottery and three picked in the second round.
NBA assistant coaches selected the 21 rookies and sophomores, according to the release, and those players will be drafted onto three different seven-player teams on Tuesday at 6:00 pm CT on Peacock. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will draft and be the “honorary coaches” of the three squads, while Austin Rivers will be the honorary coach for the G League representatives.
The four actual head coaches will be assistants from the All-Star game coaching staffs.
Six of the seven players representing the G League are actually on NBA contracts: Yang (No. 16) and Niederhauser (No. 30) were 2025 first-round picks, while Martin, Harper, Newton and Garcia are on two-way deals with their respective clubs. East, who played in Canada and Romania last season, is the lone player on an actual G League contract after Utah waived him in the fall.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, is the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr. Both players are the sons of longtime NBA guard Ron Harper, who won five championships with the Bulls and Lakers.
As for the tournament itself, the four teams will face off in a single-elimination semifinal, with the two winners competing in the final. The semifinal is first to 40 points, whereas the final will be first to 25.
Sixers Sign Charles Bassey To 10-Day Contract
JANUARY 26: Bassey’s signing is official, the Sixers announced (via Twitter).
JANUARY 24: Charles Bassey will sign a 10-day contract with the Sixers, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The move will give Philadelphia 15 players on standard contracts and will enable the team to continue using two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Both were on the active roster for Saturday’s game against New York, bringing the Sixers to their 90-game “under-15” limit for the season.
Although a player on a two-way contract can be active for up to 50 regular season games, teams can’t use their two-way players for more than 90 combined games if they’re carrying fewer than 15 players on standard contracts.
If Bassey signs on Monday, Barlow and Walker can continue playing on two-way deals through February 4, which takes them to the eve of the trade deadline. In that scenario, Bassey’s 10-day contract would cover the team’s next six games.
Sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) that the Sixers are trying to get Bassey to Charlotte so he can sign his contract before Monday night’s game. A massive storm that’s covering much of the United States is complicating travel plans.
Bassey, a 25-year-old center, is averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds per game with Santa Cruz in the G League. Following an outstanding Summer League performance with Boston, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Atlanta in September. The Hawks waived Bassey prior to the start of the season, and he inked a 10-day hardship contract with Memphis in late October. He appeared in two games during that time, but was let go when the contract expired.
This will be Bassey’s second stint with the Sixers, who selected him with the 53rd pick in the 2021 draft. He was released after playing 23 games as a rookie and spent the next three seasons in San Antonio.
Sixers Willing To Consider Trading Andre Drummond
The Sixers are willing to move veteran center Andre Drummond before next week’s trade deadline, sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required).
Drummond, 32, holds a $5MM expiring contract. He provides a reliable backup for Joel Embiid when Embiid is able to play and a veteran presence in the starting lineup when he’s not. But the strong performance of second-year big man Adem Bona has lessened the need to keep Drummond on the roster.
Drummond has appeared in 35 games this season, making 16 starts and logging 20.0 minutes per night. One of the league’s best rebounders, he’s averaging 7.1 points and 9.0 boards per night while shooting 49.7% from the field.
A report last month noted that the Knicks have shown interest in Drummond in the past, but New York has limited flexibility on the trade market due to its hard cap and may be more focused on backcourt help.
Pompey explores the Sixers’ overall trade outlook heading into the deadline, concluding there are no pressing needs on the roster. He notes that the team is about $7MM above the tax threshold and roughly $1MM away from the first apron. They have a history of making deals to avoid the tax, but that philosophy could be different this year as they’ve shown signs of being one of the East’s best teams when their star players are healthy.
Pompey points to veteran guard Eric Gordon, who has a $3.63MM expiring contract, as another player who could be moved. Gordon, who’s 37 and in his 18th NBA season, has only appeared in six games and hasn’t played at all since December 23. He agreed to the deal in July after turning down a $3.47MM player option, but he only counts $2.3MM against the cap, which could help his trade value.
Pompey suggests the Nets or Jazz might be convinced to take on Gordon if a sweetener is included, but he also points out that Gordon has been serving as a mentor to rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, which is an argument for keeping him on the roster.
Pompey notes that Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3MM) and Quentin Grimes ($8.7M) have expiring contracts as well, and Grimes holds an implicit no-trade clause that allows him to veto any deal. There are teams around the league that are watching to see if the Sixers are willing to part with Oubre, according to Pompey.
Pompey also makes a case for keeping second-year guard Jared McCain, who has fallen out of the rotation and was sent to the G League last week. McCain was off to a promising start before an injury ended his rookie season after 23 games, and Pompey notes that he provides insurance in case Grimes leaves in free agency this summer.