It’s trade season in the NBA and the Philadelphia 76ers would be wise to take a look around the league to improve their roster. The Sixers are currently sitting just outside the NBA Play-In Tournament at the 11 seed in the East, with a 15-20 record. Philadelphia desperately need to win some more games if they want any chance of making noise in the playoffs. Assuming that Philadelphia will want to keep their more expensive trade assets (K.J. Martin and Kelly Oubre Jr.) with how well they’ve been playing, the Sixers may have to look at some cheaper options on the market.
Nick Richards
Nick Richards is someone that has been rumored to be on the trade block in Charlotte. The center has been quite the interior presence for the Hornets. In 21 games Richards is grabbing 7.7 rebounds while recording 1.3 blocks a night. The 7 footer is also averaging 9.2 points a night while shooting 56.4% from the field. However, with Mark Williams taking a step forward for the Hornets, and Moussa Diabaté waiting for a bigger role, Richards has become expendable in Charlotte.
This could be great news for the Sixers. With Andre Drummond‘s age, and the Sixers injury history at the center position, the Sixers would have a great role for the Hornets big man to come into. With a relatively inexpensive contract at only $5 million a season for the next two years, Richards would fit perfectly on a premier bench role. At 27, the Sixers know exactly what they’re getting with Richards and considering that his role as a more traditional big man, Philadelphia may not have to give too much up to outbid other teams rumored to be interested, like the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Torrey Craig
Torrey Craig is an excellent wing defender, a three point threat, and on a cheap deal. He is an experienced swingman who has spent time with the Bulls, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns, and the Denver Nuggets. The downside is the Craig has been at the end of the bench for Chicago and has been dealing with injuries for a while now.
That being said, the 76ers could certainly use a guy like Craig, especially on his expiring 2.5 million dollar deal. Craig started his NBA career at age 27 with the Nuggets after a few extremely successful seasons overseas where he won the NBL New Zealand MVP award.
The two seasons prior to this one saw Craig develop into an above average shooter, draining about 39% in both. Now, at age 34, Craig has only appeared in 9 games for the Bulls this season, but has maintained his shooting efficiency, draining 42.9% from beyond the arc this year, averaging 6.9 points an appearance. Should the Sixers look to prioritize a plug and play wing defender, Craig would be a great option for cheap.
Marcus Sasser
Marcus Sasser, a former member of the University of Houston, has been playing sparingly for the Detroit Pistons this season averaging 13.8 minutes a night. Last season, as a rookie, Sasser was averaging 19.0 minutes a night and started 11 games. However, the Pistons are in a position to actually make the playoffs thanks in large part to their guard duo of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
With Sasser, Malik Beasley, and Tim Hardaway Jr. all competing for guard time, along with Ausar Thompson being able to play 1-3 effectively, Sasser may be the odd man out for the Pistons.
This year is also a lot different for the Detroit Pistons. Their team has finally started putting the pieces together and powered by Cade Cunningham’s All-Star level season, are looking to finally make the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. Should the Pistons decided to push more chips in on this season, trading Sasser to the Sixers in exchange for a more playoff proven veteran could help both squads, adding some much needed talent to the Sixers guard rotation, as well as some veteran leadership to the Pistons.
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
