Sixers trade for Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III from Golden State Warriors ahead of deadline

MILWAUKEE — The 76ers are adding much-needed perimeter help.

The team worked out a trade to acquire Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks shortly at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, according to league sources. The Sixers will send the Warriors the Dallas Mavericks’ 2020 second-round pick, the Denver Nuggets’ 2021 second-round pick, and the Toronto Raptors’ 2022 second-rounder.

The Sixers will need to free up two roster spots for Burks and Robinson, however. They’re working on additional trades to create those spots. As a result, they’re not expected to have any corresponding roster moves until closer to Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. They will have to waive two players if they’re unable to make another deal.

But in Burks and Robinson, the Sixers (31-20) acquired the much-needed shooting and scoring off the bench.

This will mark Robinson’s second stint in Philly. The Sixers claimed him off waivers in March 2015, two days after he was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played in 10 games with the Sixers, averaging 10.4 points. Robinson signed a free-agent deal with the Indiana Pacers after that season.

» READ MORE: Heat explore another big trade that could turn Sixers season from ‘unfortunate’ to ‘disaster’ | David Murphy

He has been having a career season as the Warriors’ starting small forward this year. Robinson, 26, is averaging career highs in points (12.9), rebounds (4.7), assists (1.9), steals (0.9), field-goal percentage (. 481), and minutes per game (31.6). He is also shooting 40.0% on three-pointers in 48 games, all starts.

His father, Glen Robinson II, played for the Sixers during the 2003-04 season.

» READ MORE: Glenn Robinson III's season and career stats

Burks is also having the best season of his career. The reserve shooting guard is averaging career highs in points (16.1), assists (3.1), and steals (1.0). Like Robinson, the 28-year-old is a solid three-point shooter, making 40.6% of his shot this season. The ninth-year veteran has shot 42.0% in 477 career games.

Burks and Robinson will help the Sixers space the floor on offense.

They are also on minimum salaries, which is good for the Sixers. Burks signed a one-year, $2.3 million deal with the Warriors on July 11. Robinson signed a two-year, $3.9 million contract that same month. He has a player option for $2 million next season.

» READ MORE: Alec Burks' season and career stats

Having to start Shake Milton the last five games in an example of why the Sixers were in need of depth.

The Sixers rave about the second-year guard’s intelligence, shooting, ballhandling, and upside. He even had a breakout game last Thursday, when he scored 27 points in a loss in Atlanta. Yet, Milton wasn’t in the rotation until Josh Richardson was sidelined with a hamstring strain early in a Jan. 22 game at Toronto. Milton had been going back-and-forth to the G League Delaware Blue Coats to get quality playing time.

There was a belief that the Sixers’ lack of assets and salary construction might have prevented them from doing much more. They don’t have enough players with middle-ground NBA salaries to make many trades work.

Rookie guard Matisse Thybulle is by far the Sixers’ best trade asset, league sources have said. According to a Western Conference executive, the Sacramento Kings considered trading Bogdan Bogdanovic to Philly but the talks didn’t go anywhere because the Sixers were not willing to part with Thybulle.

Some teams are intrigued by second-year guard Zhaire Smith’s upside but weren’t impressed by his play in the G League this season.

There were reports the Sixers have expressed interest in Detroit reserve point guard Derrick Rose. League sources have said that Philly also contacted the Pistons about Langston Galloway and Luke Kennard. Denzel Valentine (Chicago), Davis Bertans (Washington), and E’Twaun Moore (New Orleans) are among the other names mentioned as other possible trade candidates. The Wizards plan on keeping Bertans beyond the trade deadline and re-signing him this summer, though.

The Sixers could move Smith, Jonah Bolden, Kyle O’Quinn, or a second-round pick in a package to get a lower-level shooter. The particulars would depend on that shooter’s contract.

But adding that sort of player won’t make a major improvement or shake things up for an underachieving squad. So the Sixers could opt to dump one or two of their end-of-the-bench reserves with expiring contracts to create roster space. That would enable them to convert Norvel Pelle’s two-way contract to a regular 15-man roster deal, as planned. They could also use a spot for someone in the buyout market.