Sixers mailbag: ‘Do you think the Sixers will bring back Kelly Oubre Jr. and Pat Beverley next season?’

The 76ers are in the midst of another successful regular season.

Joel Embiid is, once again, leading the NBA in scoring. Nick Nurse is showing why he was one of this summer’s most sought-after coaching candidates. And the Sixers are third in the Eastern Conference standings with a 26-13 record.

But none of that will matter unless they advance beyond the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Tobias Harris taking on several roles and making a difference on the margins

Will they make a move before the Feb. 8 trade deadline to bolster their chances for a deep postseason run?

We will get a definite answer in a couple of weeks. But in the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.

Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.

Q: Do you think the Sixers make a trade for a backup point guard before the trade deadline? —@SimplyDee

KP: Thanks for the question, Dee. The problem with making a trade for a backup point guard is you will limit Patrick Beverley. Beverley is an important part of the team because he provides something the Sixers didn’t have: tenacity. He’s an agitator. His mentality is, “We can beat anyone.” He gives them toughness and aggressiveness. He also gives them their first legitimate backup point guard since The Process began. So by trading for a backup point guard, the Sixers would probably take minutes away from a valuable piece of the team. That’s why I would hesitate there. They need to add a role player (non-star), regardless of position, who can defend and score. But, as I said earlier, adding a backup point guard would take away from Beverley.

Q: Do they make a big splash by the trade deadline? —@jgras68

KP: I appreciate the question, Jim. The Sixers are in a little bit of a quandary because they’re probably not good enough to win a championship unless everything goes right. That can happen. Look at the Miami Heat last season. Miami was a play-in tournament team that advanced to the 2023 NBA Finals. But if the Sixers add a big-time player, does that star mess up the team chemistry, the rotation, and the roles of Beverley and Nico Batum?

One guy who comes to mind as a solid addition is Detroit Pistons small forward Bojan Bogdanović. He would give them an elite shooter. Defensively, he’s not that good, but he’s not a big splash. Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zack LaVine could mess up the chemistry. He needs shots to be effective. He’s also in the second year of a five-year, $215 million deal that could scare off possible trade candidates.

If they make a move, I think it would be to add solid depth with three-and-D players who can hit open shots as opposed to making a big splash.

Q: Any chance at all at bringing Brooklyn Nets small forward Mikal Bridges home for the three first-round picks the Sixers got for James Harden? —@jgras68

KP: Thanks for asking multiple questions, Jim. However, the Nets would never do that. That would be great for the Sixers. I’m sure they will do it in a second. But the Nets would be foolish to make that deal. The former Villanova standout and Philly native is Brooklyn’s best player. I don’t see them making him available.

Q: Do you think the Sixers will bring back Kelly Oubre Jr. and Pat Bev next season? —@stripedtshirtz

KP: Great question, Allllie. I think it depends on the players’ options. However, I do think they should bring back Oubre, who has been a solid addition. While I like Beverley, who’s playing well, I think that will depend on how this season ends up, and if he continues to play a vital role on the team. Like I mentioned earlier, Beverley provides toughness. There’s been games where he came up with a key offensive rebound or scrambled to get a loose ball or defended at an elite level. Right now, everything is going his way. If he becomes disgruntled or becomes a negative influence if things don’t go his way, they may decide to not re-sign him. But as long as he’s on board, contributing, and positive, he’s a solid fit. Plus, he turns 36 in July.

Q: Do you think they need to make a trade by the deadline to compete with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics? If so, what type of player would you like to see? —@YMGHeid

KP: Thanks for the question, Vonnie. I don’t think the Sixers need to make a trade to keep up with the Bucks. I actually think the Sixers, as currently constructed, are very comparable to Milwaukee. The Sixers would have to make a trade to keep up with the Celtics. While the Sixers are deeper, Boston boasts the league’s best starting lineup in All-NBA wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White. So even if the Sixers make a trade, they’ll still have a tough time beating the Celtics in a seven-game series. That’s why I said they’re in a quandary. If the right trade comes along for a high-level player without giving up important pieces and the player fits, yeah, they could do that. But it’s hard to say who those players would be. The thing is, if they get a high-level player, he’s most likely making high-level money. So the Sixers will have to match salaries. So who are they going to give up, Tobias Harris?

The thing about trading him and his $39.3 million contract is that he’s the Sixers’ most important piece. You know what you are going to get out of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey every night. But Harris is the X-factor. And he’s been playing at an elite level lately. It would be dangerous to trade him away unless you are getting a better piece back.