For the Sixers, NBA trade deadline could be more about shedding salary than adding talent
The Sixers believe they have enough talent to compete with any team in the league, but that doesn't mean they won't attempt to improve at the margins.
NEW YORK — Make no mistake. The 76ers are a dangerous team as their roster stands.
They could make a deep postseason push as long as Joel Embiid stays healthy and James Harden continues to thrive as a pass-first, triple-double threat. So the Sixers aren’t expected to make any major roster changes before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline at 3 p.m.
But they’re in the market for a reserve center, a backup point guard, and another shooter. Yahoo Sports reported on Saturday that Utah Jazz post player Jarred Vanderbilt is a leading target in the Sixers’ quest to fortify frontcourt depth behind Embiid. However, Utah wants a first-round pick in exchange for the fifth-year veteran.
» READ MORE: Matisse Thybulle, no longer untouchable, drawing interest from Warriors and Kings
The 6-foot-9 Vanderbilt is a power forward, but has the ability to defend all three frontcourt positions. The Indiana Pacers view him as an attractive option. And the Utah has discussed packaging Vanderbilt along with Malik Beasley in potential trades to the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Atlanta Hawks.
Philly would probably have to get a third team involved to make a deal for him. Without a lot of tradable assets, the Sixers, who have a roster spot available, might be better off acquiring a player of need in the buyout market.
But they also want to eliminate salary to get below the luxury tax threshold. Adding a player via the buyout market without shedding salary via a trade would only add to the luxury tax.
The Sixers’ current roster has $151.4 million in salary, according to Spotrac. They would have to shed $1.1 million to get below the league’s $150.3 million threshold.
That’s why Furkan Korkmaz, who is making $5 million this season, and Jaden Springer, whose salary sits at $2.1 million, have been mentioned as guys the Sixers have considered trading in order to shed money.
PhillyVoice first reported that Georges Niang ($3.4 million) and Danuel House Jr. ($4.1 million) could also be trade candidates.
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Right now, Matisse Thybulle ($4.3 million) is arguably the most tradable asset that team is willing to part with. The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are among teams that have had internal conversation and/or monitoring the situation. And the Hawks are another interested team, according to The Stein Line.
But if they plan to shed salary, the Sixers would have to give up something to a team that can take in that salary and not take salary in return. Sometimes, teams that need to shed salaries include cash and/or draft picks to sweeten the deal, thus paying a price for a favor.
If a player has some value — Thybulle, for example — the Sixers could get a lesser salary in return and possibly get under the cap. That would help both sides.
This is where there’s a dilemma. Thybulle is not just the Sixers’ best perimeter defender, he’s a two-time, second-team All-Defensive selection. Even though they don’t utilize him enough, the Sixers would have a major defensive void to fill by trading him, especially come playoff time.
Thybulle and the Sixers didn’t agree on a rookie-scale extension before the Oct. 17 deadline. As a result, Thybulle is in line to become a restricted free agency this summer if the Sixers give him a quality offer in June.
With full Bird Rights on Thybulle, the Sixers will be allowed to exceed the cap (a luxury-tax threshold) to re-sign him. They’ll also have the right to match any offer sheet that he signs with another team as a restricted free agent. So the ball is still in their court.
But if the Sixers are unwilling to pay Thybulle or don’t have him in their future plans, then they might as well get something in return for him at the trade deadline.
It’s kind of like what the Washington Wizards did by trading Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 23. Like Thybulle, Hachimura didn’t receive a rookie-scale extension. Despite being the ninth pick of the 2019 draft, he was behind forwards Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija. So, instead of just letting Hachimura go for nothing this summer, they traded him for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks.
» READ MORE: This time, the Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle is not stressing at the trade deadline
So the Sixers have a decision to make.
The same thing can be said about Niang, who has some value because of his three-point shooting. The power forward has been one of the Sixers’ most reliable reserves, though he struggled on the defensive end last postseason while battling an injury. And the team would miss his energy and ability to hit clutch shots.
Meanwhile, House lost his spot in the rotation to Thybulle. The swingman’s stock has dropped because of inconsistent play in his first season with the Sixers.
Out of the rotation, the Sixers don’t view Korkmaz as someone who can help them. The same for Springer. The second-year guard also doesn’t have a lot of value around the league, according to sources.
That’s why the buyout market is the better option for the Sixers to add depth as they don’t have a lot of enticing assets. However, making a trade and shedding salary before Thursday’s deadline stand as the best moves for the owner’s pockets.