Philadelphia 76ers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Orlando’s Plan At The Trade Deadline Remains Unclear

February 2nd, 2019 at 2:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Magic, with a record of 21-31, remain just five games back in the loss column of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and most of the league doesn’t have a feel for what Orlando is going to do before the trade deadline, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes.

While many in the organization feel pressure to make the playoffs this season, the Magic’s front office doesn’t appear to be under a playoffs-or-bust mandate. Despite being within an arm’s length of a playoff spot, the team could consider making moves with the long-term in mind.

Aaron Gordon‘s descending contract was designed to make him a more attractive trade piece. With the Mohamed Bamba–Jonathan Isaac looking like team’s frontcourt of the future, the 23-year-old combo forward, who’s best suited to play the four, may find himself on a new team. The Mavericks inquired on Gordon’s availability before pulling the trigger on Kristaps Porzingis, Lowe reports.

The Pacers had interest in signing Gordon to an offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent, though it’s unclear what Indiana’s position is on trading for talent before the deadline with star Victor Oladipo out for the year. Lowe speculates that the Jazz and Trail Blazers would be good landing spots for Gordon should Orlando ship him out.

The Magic would likely deal Terrence Ross, who will be a free agent after the season, for a future asset, Lowe adds, though he cautions that Orlando may not be able to get even a heavily-protected first-round pick for the swingman. If the team does deal Ross, it could be for a pair of second-round picks.

The Magic have to consider trading Nikola Vucevic, Lowe contends. The team drafted Bamba to man the five and with Vucevic’s looming free agency, Orlando will either have to sign him to a massive deal or watch him walk for nothing.

Lowe doesn’t anticipate a Vuvevic trade. though he touches on a pair of hypothetical deals with one involving Orlando shipping the big man to the Lakers for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Los Angeles’ first-round pick. The Lakers’ pick is expected to fall somewhere in the middle of the draft and that may not be more appealing than simply keeping Vucevic for the Magic’s front office.

The other hypothetical involves a swap of Ross and Markelle Fultz. While the deal would seem to benefit both the Sixers and Magic, it’s unclear whether Philadelphia would require an additional asset, such as a second-round pick. Lowe notes that Fultz’s injury and trade value remains a mystery.

Wilson Chandler To Miss 2-3 Weeks With Right Quad Strain

February 2nd, 2019 at 10:17am CST by marksuleymanov

The Sixers will be without Wilson Chandler for two-to-three weeks due to a right quadriceps strain, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Chandler is expected to return sometime after the All-Star break.

Chandler left Philadelphia’s win over the Warriors on Thursday due to the right quad strain. He tallied eight points, three assists and two rebounds in 21 minutes before the injury. In 36 games (32 starts) this season, Chandler has averaged 6.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.0 APG while shooting 39% from three for the Sixers.

The 31-year-old was acquired by Philadelphia from the Nuggets during the offseason. Chandler missed the Sixers’ first nine games of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Sixers, Jazz Express Interest In Nikola Mirotic

February 1st, 2019 at 12:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

Behind the Anthony Davis drama, the Pelicans are ready to start taking their current roster apart in exchange for future assets, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News. He adds that their most enticing trade piece is stretch forward Nikola Mirotic, who is drawing interest from both the Sixers and Jazz.

New Orleans is seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Mirotic, who has been sidelined for the past week with what Deveney calls “a so-called calf strain.” A league source tells him that the Sixers, who have needed forward help since sending Dario Saric and Robert Covington to Minnesota in the Jimmy Butler trade, have contacted the Pelicans about Mirotic. Philadelphia owns all of its future first-rounders, along with Miami’s in 2021, and a wealth of second-rounders, including the Bulls’ this year, the Knicks’ and Nets next season and four in 2021.

The Jazz, who were considered frontrunners to wind up with Mirotic when the Bulls were looking to move him last season, are also in the mix, Deveney adds. It’s uncertain whether Utah is willing to part with starting forward Derrick Favors or would offer young players such as Raul Neto and Tony Bradley in addition to a first-round pick.

Deveney notes that other teams could still enter the race for Mirotic, such as the Trail Blazers, who are seeking to add roster depth, and the Rockets, who have been eyeing him for a long time.

Mirotic, 27, is averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds through 32 games and is shooting 36.8% from 3-point range. He is making $12.5MM on an expiring contract.

Philly Experiments With Jimmy Butler On Ball

January 30th, 2019 at 6:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The Sixers may look to put the ball in Jimmy Butler‘s hands more often after his recent return from injury, Brian Seltzer of the team’s official site writes. Previously, head coach Brett Brown had used the All-Star swingman off the ball.

“I liked what I saw,” said Brown following the Sixers’ Tuesday night victory, a game in which Butler had a plus-26 rating. “We didn’t really run complicated offense. It was quite simple and spaced, and I thought he did a really good job with that.”

The Sixers, of course, have done just fine with Butler in his traditional swingman role – they’re 33-18 after all – but with the playoffs approaching and this roster intent on making a deep run, Brown believes that exploring additional offensive options will serve them well.

Sixers Interested In Dewayne Dedmon

January 30th, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have shown interest in acquiring Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, but they may have to part with Markelle Fultz to get a deal done.

Philadelphia has a need for more athleticism and defense off its bench, which Dedmon would provide. The 29-year-old is averaging 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in his second season with Atlanta.

The Sixers have been reluctant to part with Fultz, even though he has played just 33 games since being selected first overall in the 2017 draft. He remains sidelined indefinitely with thoracic outlet syndrome and continues to do rehab work on his shoulder.

At $8.3MM, Fultz is a rare mid-level contract on a team that has nine players making less than $5MM, Bontemps notes. Dedmon has a $7.2MM expiring contract, but Philadelphia may not have anything else that the Hawks want for salary matching purposes if Fultz isn’t included.

The Sixers thinned out their bench by sending Robert Covington and Dario Saric to Minnesota in the trade for Jimmy Butler. Coach Brett Brown tried Furkan Korkmaz as a backup forward, but teams were exploiting his defensive weaknesses too frequently to leave him in the lineup, according to Bontemps. Brown has attempted to turn backup center Mike Muscala into a power forward, but it’s tough for him to guard smaller and more mobile players at that position.

Sixers Unlikely To Pursue Anthony Davis

January 28th, 2019 at 3:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Sixers have the pieces to put together a competitive offer for Anthony Davis, but the team currently has no plans to pursue a deal, sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

It’s hard to envision the Pelicans coveting a package centered around Jimmy Butler, and Joel Embiid simply isn’t going anywhere. That leaves Ben Simmons as the blue-chip asset which makes the most sense and a Simmons-led package would likely beat any other offer should the Sixers put it on the table.

Davis and Simmons are both represented by Rich Paul and a swap of the two is “highly unlikely,” Haynes writes. Philadelphia would be taking an incredible risk by dealing Simmons for Davis without assurance that Davis will stick around long-term.

Philadelphia could ostensibly put together a package without including their big three. Davis will bring in approximately $25.43MM this season and the Sixers a bevy of players on mid-sized deals, such as Wilson Chandler ($12.80MM), J.J. Redick ($12.25), Markelle Fultz ($8.34MM), and Mike Muscala ($5.00MM), whose salaries could be aggregated to match Davis’ figure.

The issue comes down to providing New Orleans value. Fultz was a former No. 1 overall pick but his struggles have deflated his price tag on the trade market, and the team’s veterans hold no value to a franchise that will ultimately begin a rebuild.

The Sixers wield draft capital, as they possess all their future first-round picks, though a closer look at the cupboard and the assets appear more glittery than golden. The Pelicans know that trading Davis to the Sixers would help them win more games and decrease the value of any of Philadelphia’s pick they receive.

The Sixers have an outside chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft should the Kings win the lottery (Sacramento’s pick will go to the Celtics if it’s not the top selection as part of 2017’s Fultz trade). The Kings currently sit 13th in our Reverse Standings, meaning if the season ended today, the odds of the pick becoming the top selection would be one percent.

The pick simply isn’t that valuable, given how the odds are to receive nothing (there would be a zero chance at keeping the pick if the Kings make the playoffs). On the other hand, if Davis is still available on the trade market in late spring and the pick becomes the top selection, is it worth trading the No. 1 pick for a player who may bolt in a year?

The team does own Miami’s 2021 unprotected first-round pick and it could be the key piece in making a splash that doesn’t involve its trading away a current member of its big three. Still, unless Davis adds Philadelphia to its wish list, Elton Brand & Co. will look elsewhere for another big addition.

Sixers Notes: Roster Depth, Brewer, Redick, Shamet

January 27th, 2019 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers will focus on improving their depth between now and the playoffs, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team’s most pressing needs are another perimeter defender and a a big man to back up Joel Embiid, Pompey adds, and management plans to pursue both of those on the trade and buyout markets.

“Where you end up feeling it the most is, ‘What’s your depth? What’s the depth of your team?’” coach Brett Brown said. “(GM) Elton Brand is doing aggressive work behind the scenes, trying to figure out the design of our team as the trade deadline comes up. And I’m following his lead.”

The Sixers were big winners at buyout time last season, landing a pair of shooters in Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova. However, Ilyasova had played in Philadelphia before and Brown had a connection to Belinelli from their days in San Antonio, so duplicating that success won’t be easy.

Two things are working against the Sixers’ effort, Pompey notes. The playoff race hasn’t shaken out like they had hoped, and with so many teams still in contention there may be a shortage of sellers before the deadline. Also, Markelle Fultz, who might have been a useful trade chip, has been sidelined since November 19 with thoracic outlet syndrome.

There’s more this morning from Philadelphia:

Corey Brewer, who signed a second 10-day deal on Friday, deserves to be kept for the rest of the season and possibly longer, Pompey states in a separate story. Brewer has started the past three games while Jimmy Butler recovers from a sprained wrist and is averaging 10.8 points per night since joining the team.
Surrounded by elite players, J.J. Redick can get overlooked, but the Sixers are pushing for him to land a spot in the All-Star Game, Pompey adds in another story. Redick is averaging a career-high 18.4 PPG at age 34 and is having one of his best all-around seasons, shooting 38.9% from 3-point range, contributing 2.8 assists per night and playing 31.1 minutes per game. “I just want to keep playing and enjoying playing,” he said. “Whether that’s three years or five years, I don’t know. You can’t really predict. But how I felt the last couple of years, I’d like to keep playing for a while.”
The Sixers believe they have something special in rookie guard Landry Shamet, relays Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The 26th player selected in the 2018 draft, Shamet is averaging 8.4 points per game, shooting better than 40% on 3-pointers and has shown an ability to handle both backcourt positions. “He’s not your typical rookie,” Redick said. “It’s fun to see a guy who’s 21 years old and is already, basically a pro. He acts like a pro, he plays like a pro.”

Specialist Confirms Jimmy Butler Suffered Sprained Wrist

January 26th, 2019 at 5:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 26: The specialist that Butler saw confirmed the injury is merely a sprain, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Butler will miss tonight’s game, but is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday.

JANUARY 25: Jimmy Butler‘s sprained right wrist may be more troubling than the Sixers originally believed. After an MRI taken Monday showed no serious damage, Butler will see a specialist today in Los Angeles to determine the extent of the injury, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Butler accompanied the team on its current four-game road trip and both he and Sixers officials remain optimistic that he will be able to play before it ends on February 2. He has been listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s game in Denver (Twitter link).

Butler has missed Philadelphia’s past two games because of the injury, but coach Brett Brown said on Wednesday he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue. The Sixers won both games with much of Butler’s playing time being taken over by Corey Brewer, who signed a second 10-day contract today.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Atlantic Division

January 25th, 2019 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Atlantic Division:

Marcus Morris, Celtics, 29, PF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $20MM deal in 2015
Morris will get a nice bump in pay from the team-friendly contract he signed with Phoenix a few years ago. In the last couple of weeks, he’s been in a shooting slump. He’s 7-for-29 from long range over the last six games and has scored 11 or fewer points in five of them. The Celtics don’t rely on Morris for scoring, as evidenced by their five-game winning streak. He’ll eventually perk up offensively and his defensive versatility and rebounding will keep him in the rotation.

D’Angelo Russell, Nets, 22, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $23MM deal in 2015
Has any free agent increased his value as much as Russell in recent weeks? If so, it’s an awfully close call. Russell has blown up this month, averaging 24.1 PPG and 7.7 APG for the surging Nets. In the past two weeks alone, Russell hung up 34 points and seven assists against Boston and 40 points and seven assists against Orlando. He added a 25-point, 10-assist performance against the Magic on Wednesday. Russell will be a restricted free agent and the Nets now have to consider using a chunk of their cap space to re-sign him. It will intriguing to see if any team calls the Nets’ bluff with an offer sheet.

Enes Kanter, Knicks, 26, C (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $70MM deal in 2015
Kanter is still in his prime but he’s been swept into the undertow of New York’s youth movement. Kanter didn’t leave the bench on Wednesday and is now pining for a trade. With the hope of landing a big fish in the free agent pond, the Knicks had no intention of re-signing Kanter. But his diminished role isn’t exactly enhancing his value during his walk year. Kanter puts up solid numbers in the points and rebounds columns but his defensive shortcomings and lack of shotblocking prowess will depress his market.

Kawhi Leonard, Raptors, 27, SF (Up) — Signed to a five-year, $94.3MM deal in 2015
The Raptors essentially gave Leonard a week’s vacation by sitting him out for four consecutive games. They’re treating him with kid gloves with the hope he’ll take off the gloves in the summer and sign the dotted line with them. When he has played, he’s been dynamite. He’s averaging career highs in points (27.6 PPG) and rebounds (7.9), alleviating concerns that the quad injury that limited him to nine games last season would be a long-term issue. The Raptors have played quite well without Leonard but there’s no doubt that their hopes of reaching the NBA Finals rest on Leonard’s shoulders.

Amir Johnson, Sixers, 31 (Down)– Signed to a one-year, $2.39MM deal in 2018
Johnson has carved out a nice career after getting drafted in the second round by Detroit in 2005. His playing time has gradually diminished over the last six seasons and he’s down to 9.3 MPG for Philadelphia this season. Johnson has never been a prolific rebounder but he can help at the defensive end. Lately, he’s dealt with some migraines. If Johnson wants to continue his career going forward, he’ll be looking at a veteran’s minimum contract once again.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fultz Travels But Not Cleared For Activity

January 25th, 2019 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Markelle Fultz traveled with the Sixers on their current road trip but the second-year guard has not been cleared for basketball activity, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets. It’s not anticipated that Fultz will be cleared during the trip and thus he’s limited to physical therapy as he works his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome.

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