Sixers get guard Charles Jenkins from the Warriors

The 76ers made a minor deal Thursday before the NBA's trade deadline, acquiring second-year guard Charles Jenkins from the Golden State Warriors for cash and a protected second-round draft choice.

Jenkins, who will turn 24 on Thursday, averaged 1.7 points and 6.2 minutes in 47 games for the Warriors this season.

Golden State was trying to get under the luxury tax limit of $70.3 million. Jenkins' salary is $762,195. The Warriors also sent Jeremy Tyler, who has a similar salary, to Atlanta. Dealing those two players put the Warriors under the tax limit.

According to an NBA source, the Sixers are unlikely to ever surrender the No. 2 pick. In essence, the Sixers are doing the Warriors a favor by taking Jenkins off their hands.

Jenkins was a two-time Colonial Athletic Association player of the year at Hofstra. He averaged 5.8 points and made 28 starts as a rookie last season.

Looking past this minor move, the Sixers' fate obviously relies on Andrew Bynum. After this season, his $16.5 million salary will come off the books when he becomes a free agent, and the big question will be whether the Sixers re-sign the center who has yet to play because of his injured knees.

The Sixers would have some salary-cap space next year if Bynum departed, but the question is whether any desirable free agent would want to come to a team that looked so promising a year ago and so different this season.

The uncertainty surrounding Bynum likely caused the Sixers' lack of action at the trade deadline.

It seems that the Sixers are in so deep that it's hard to believe they won't do everything possible to retain Bynum. The question is whether he can return to being a productive NBA player.

The Sixers (22-30) remain in a playoff race in the Eastern Conference. With 30 games to play, they are 31/2 games out of the eighth and final spot in the conference, which is occupied by Milwaukee.

The Sixers are five games behind seventh-place Boston, so making the postseason will be challenging. The Sixers hope that Thaddeus Young (hamstring) and Bynum can return for a playoff push.

Even though the trade activity was light leading up to Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline, the two teams directly ahead of the Sixers improved.

Boston acquired guard Jordan Crawford (13.2 ppg.) from Washington for center Jason Collins and the expiring contract of Leandro Barbosa, who is out for the season after suffering a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.

Milwaukee acquired J.J. Redick (15.1 ppg.) in a six-player deal with Orlando. Redick vastly improves the Bucks' perimeter game.