Sources: Sixers have interest in Pistons’ Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway and free agent Jeff Green
League sources believe any Sixers’ trade deal will almost certainly include the team parting ways with second-year guard Zhaire Smith.
DALLAS — Could Langston Galloway come back to Philadelphia to play for the 76ers?
What about Galloway’s Detroit Pistons teammate Luke Kennard or NBA free agent Jeff Green?
Add those names to the list of wing players the Sixers have expressed interest in acquiring in a trade and/or as free-agent signees, according to multiple league sources. One source confirmed that Green worked out for the Sixers in Miami while the team was there to face the Heat a couple of weeks ago.
The Sixers are looking to add shooting prior to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 or the buyout market.
League sources believe any Sixers trade will almost certainly include the team’s parting ways with second-year guard Zhaire Smith.
“Or at least that’s what I’m preparing for,” one league executive said.
Former Sixer Robert Covington of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Davis Bertans (Wizards), Malik Beasley (Nuggets), E’Twaun Moore (Pelicans), and Andre Iguodala (Grizzlies) are among the names mentioned as other possible trade candidates.
Galloway entered the NBA as an undrafted free-agent out of St. Joseph’s in 2014. The sixth-year veteran is averaging 10.4 points while shooting 39.9% on three-pointers as a reserve guard for the Pistons. The 28-year-old has averaged 8.4 points and shot 36.4% on three-pointers in 378 career games with 62 starts.
Kennard is averaging a career-best 15.8 points a game while shooting 39.9% on threes in 28 games with 25 starts this season. The third-year guard out of Duke is a 40.0% three-point shooter for his career.
Green averaged 7.8 points, 2.7 rebounds while shooting 32.7% on threes with the Utah Jazz before being waived Dec. 24. The 12th-year veteran averaged 13.0 points in 890 games with 543 starts. While not a great three-pointer shooter, Green is a great locker-room guy and could be a key reserve.
Pelle attracting interest
In other news, multiple NBA teams are monitoring Norvel Pelle’s two-way contract situation with the Sixers. After Saturday’s game, the reserve center will have only four days left toward the maximum number of days the Sixers are allowed to have him on the team in his two-way deal. The plan was to sign him to the 15-man roster or release him after his 45 days.
But look for the Sixers to stretch those days out by recalling him only on game days. But once the 45 days are up, and if the Sixers don’t sign him to a regular contract, there are teams that will look to sign the big man, who could become a free agent if his two-way deal isn’t converted.
The Sixers would have to waive a player in order to fit Pelle on the 15-man roster. He’s a key piece right now with Joel Embiid having surgery on Friday to repair a torn radial collateral ligament in the ring finger of his left hand. The procedure typically requires a month of healing followed by several weeks of physical therapy, sports medicine specialists say.