76ers player who must be traded soon
Yesterday at 10:23 AM
As the NBA trade deadline looms, the Philadelphia 76ers' season is gradually trending in the wrong direction. Following a 15-24 start, the initial expectations to make a deep playoff run have gone from bad to worse, with injuries and unmet performance goals from certain members of the roster.
Sunday's 104-99 loss to the Orlando Magic was another showing of missed opportunity for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey continued his stretch of big-time play with 29 points, five assists and four rebounds. And while the 24-year-old All-Star has given a lot of reason to be hopeful, individual accolades aren't going to bring the organization a championship any time soon.
Joel Embiid has been sidelined for 12 days. The 2022-23 MVP has made just 13 appearances, and the team's top free agent signing over the offseason in Paul George missed the beginning chunk of the season. From these absences, the 76ers fell into a 2-7 hole that they just haven't climbed out of.
The one silver lining was rookie guard Jared McCain's breakout, and how well he's been able to fit alongside Maxey. A superstar formula that could be dangerous in the Eastern Conference for many years to come. But the unfortunate reality is that this unique partnership will need more time to take shape. With McCain's season over after tearing his meniscus, it's looking more and more like his scoring production won't be made up for with the remaining backcourt members off the bench (or the frontcourt, besides Embiid).
Despite George's heavy dose of game action since his return from injury, his production doesn't exactly scream "max player." His scoring (16.8 PPG) is significantly down from a year ago with the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as his field-goal (42.1), and three-point (35.4) shooting percentages. He's playing 32.3 minutes per night, which is great, but the results have been dismissive.
With time quickly running out this season, the February 6 trade deadline is going to be a crucial point for the 76ers, and one that could irrevocably alter the course of the franchise.
76ers need to emphasize the future at trade deadline
Is it really win-now time for the 76ers? It's starting to look like.. No. The McCain injury essentially knocked the wind out of the fanbase. Given what its already had to endure this season, well ahead of the All-Star break — Embiid's availability constantly in flux and George struggling to deliver on the expectations of a marquee roster addition — the team's title aspirations feel progressively unrealistic.
In Tuesday night's game against the Western-Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder, the 76ers fell 118-102. The home crowd at Wells Fargo Center sat frustrated, as eight of the team's key players showed up on the injury report, via the scoreboard: Andre Drummond, Embiid, George, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, KJ Martin, Maxey and McCain.
Wednesday's clash wasn't much better. Hosting the New York Knicks on a back-to-back, the 76ers lost 125-119 in overtime. George returned to the lineup, finishing with 26 points in 43 minutes. But it showed, yet again and in plain sight, just how poorly this team executes in close games.
It's hard to come up with a practical solution of how they can turn this into a championship season. Constantly dealing with roster hiccups, and a lack of rhythm on the floor, there's only so much that head coach Nick Nurse can do with the cards he's been dealt.
Maximize Paul George's trade value while it still exists
This isn't an asinine request. It should not be perceived, as such. The idea of trading George is simply a necessary pivot for a team struggling to find an identity that should've been established weeks ago. Yet, it's important to bear in mind that this could very well not happen.
It's possible that George's frustration from the start of the season hasn't gone anywhere — constantly adapting and moving around to different positions in the lineup because of the team's injuries. He could be open to a fresh start. Given the recent Jimmy Butler interest, offering George in a deal with the Miami Heat would work financially.
General manager Daryl Morey is known for a win-now mentality, so it's more likely — given his track record at the trade deadline — that he could go for more trivial moves in an effort to salvage the current campaign. That said, cutting ties with George could be a step in the right direction, and pave the way to build around young cornerstone assets Maxey and McCain for the future.
George's contract is a hefty one at four years, $212 million, which could deter teams from pursuing him at age 34. Still, a playoff contender with deep pockets for an additional star could be swayed to step up to the table.
The trade deadline is going to answer a lot of questions, and mark the trajectory of what lies ahead. For the 76ers, reality is setting in. And as for the 2024-25 NBA Finals, that ship has sailed.
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