The Philadelphia 76ers have wrapped up their trade deadline, and after a series of roster moves, including signing Kyle Lowry and giving Darius Bazely a 10-day contract, one roster spot remains open. Besides Spencer Dinwiddie, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, there are still options on the market for the Sixers to fill out and field a full roster.
With injuries up and down the roster and more players leaving at the deadline than coming in, here are three guys Philadelphia could target for a 10-day contract.
Sixers target #1: Robin Lopez
The Sixers desperately needed to come out of this deadline with some more big-man depth. Paul Reed and Mo Bamba are both viable options on the team, but they weren’t the answer. Darius Bazley has been playing great in the G-League, but it remains unclear if he’s going to be the center the team needs.
After the Chicago Bulls decided to hold onto Andre Drummond, the Sixers’ hope for reinforcements dried up. Until 7’1″ center Robin Lopez was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Sacramento Kings and was subsequently waived.
Lopez, the brother of Bucks center Brook Lopez, has had a 16-year career in the NBA. With the Bucks, Lopez has appeared in only 16 games and is averaging 1.1 points and 0.3 rebounds per game on 36.8% shooting from the field. Aside from size and depth, Lopez could provide a veteran presence and insurance should the Sixers have even more injuries.
Sixers target #2: Joe Harris
Joe Harris is a guy that had to carve out his niche in the NBA. After an uneventful stint in Cleveland, Harris became a three-point machine with the Brooklyn Nets. He is a career 43.6% shooter from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts a night who has had a down year with the Pistons.
So far, Harris has appeared in only 16 games for the lowly Detroit Pistons and has struggled to get himself going offensively, averaging only 2.4 points on 33.3% from behind the arc, yet that might have more to do with his role in Detroit than his ability.
Just last season, Harris was a 42.6% shooter from deep, and while his defense leaves a lot to be desired, Harris could recapture his form in the Sixers’ rotation.
Sixers target #3: Chimezie Metu
Chimezie Metu is an intriguing option for the Sixers should they target some more big-man depth. Metu has shown the ability to play both the power forward and the center spot at a backup level over the past few years.
Last season, with the Sacramento Kings, Metu appeared in 66 games for the red hot Kings, shooting 58.9% from the field while scoring 4.9 points and grabbing 3.0 rebounds per game. After his three seasons with Sacramento, he signed with the Suns and their big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. With the Suns, he averaged 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game on 50.8% shooting from the field.
After 37 games with the Suns, including a 23-point, 19-rebound double-double against the Mavericks, Metu was included in a three-team deal that netted the Suns Royce O’Neal from the Brooklyn Nets. Metu was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he was released just one day later to make room for GG Jackson II to sign a standard contract. Metu may not be the best backup big in the league, but standing at 6’9″, the 26-year-old Metu could provide some value to the Sixers.
