Sixers trade season primer: Which players are most likely to be moved before the deadline?

Last year, the Sixers were at the epicenter of the NBA’s trade season, with speculation constantly swirling about where Ben Simmons would land before the deadline-day blockbuster to acquire perennial All-Star James Harden.

That is not expected to be the case this season, even after the market widened last Thursday when most players who signed contracts this past summer became eligible to be moved. The Sixers no longer have an All-Star who refuses to play. They shored up some depth issues this summer, and are spending the regular season sharpening the still relatively new partnership between Harden and MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

As the regular season nears the midway point, however, the Sixers (18-12) still appear to be a clear notch below the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. They got off to a choppy start — and shouldered a number of injuries — before their six-game winning streak entering Friday’s key matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. They enter Thursday ranking second in the NBA in defensive efficiency (107.9 points per 100 possessions) but 17th in offensive efficiency (112 points per 100 possessions), and championship contenders typically land in the top 10 in both categories.

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The Sixers’ roster construction could allow them to package multiple players to upgrade a complementary position around the core or Embiid, Harden and dynamic young guard Tyrese Maxey. And Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is always looking for deals.

“You’re evaluating all year,” coach Doc Rivers said recently. “I don’t know if we’re at a place where we say, ‘We need to do something.’ We haven’t had enough guys on the floor to know that. But we still have our eyes open. I’m sure we do. That’s what upstairs [where the front office is located] is for.”

Here is a primer on where the Sixers stand, which players are the most likely candidates to be moved and the potential impact of the rest of the trade market.

Backup frontcourt

The Sixers do not have a traditional 7-footer behind Embiid, who was previously backed up by Dwight Howard in 2020-21 and Andre Drummond last season before he was part of the Simmons deal.

Instead, Rivers has toggled between Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed, with Harrell effectively holding that job for the past five games. Though the coach appears willing to make the switch based on who is playing the best, it could be worth pursuing a more clear-cut option.

An athletic, above-the-rim type of player could thrive on lobs from Harden. The Sixers also enter Thursday ranked 28th in the league in rebounding (40.7 per game). Easing some of the minutes of 37-year-old P.J. Tucker, the only Sixer to play all 30 games this season, could also be helpful.

Reserve guard

Rivers lamented the Sixers’ depleted ballhandling when Harden’s and Maxey’s injuries first occurred, before Shake Milton excellently stepped in as a pace-setter and bucket-getter. Still, Milton is not a traditional, pass-first point guard, a la Tyus Jones or T.J. McConnell. In fact, the Sixers don’t really have that type of player on the roster at all.

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That might not be as important in the modern NBA, especially after Milton’s performance. Yet Rivers clearly values players who will promote kick-ahead passes and sharp decision-making, particularly for for a second unit that has shuffled all season because of the slew of injuries.

3-and-D wing

Though the Sixers already have De’Anthony Melton (who will move back to a reserve role when Maxey returns), Danuel House Jr. and Matisse Thybulle, these types of players are always coveted in the league.

The Inquirer reported the Sixers tried to acquire Eric Gordon on draft night, before instead trading for Melton. But outside shooting, comparable to what former J.J. Redick brought during his Sixers tenure, will always be beneficial around Embiid. The Sixers enter Thursday ranked fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage (38.2).

Players perpetually floated as trade candidates: Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle

These players are here because of their combination of value, potential and contract situations.

Any splashy move would almost certainly feature Harris as the centerpiece, given his hefty $37.6 million salary, willingness to adapt to the personnel around him and production during the array of early season injuries. He entered Thursday averaging 17.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 42.2% on 5.4 three-point attempts per game. But his contact might be easier to move next season, when it is an expiring deal.

Thybulle, meanwhile, remains an intriguing young player because of his defensive prowess and athleticism. His rotation minutes, however, have been spotty this season — and his outside shooting remains an uncertainty. He will be a restricted free agent this summer, after he and the Sixers did not come to an agreement on an extension this past offseason.

Expiring contracts

These contracts are often considered to be more tradeable — especially to make salaries match in bigger deals — because they would come off their new team’s books at the end of the season.

Shake Milton ($2 million): Reserve combo guard who averaged 20.6 points on 54.3% shooting, six assists and five rebounds in nine games as a starter when Harden and Maxey were injured — and has remained an aggressive spark plug since his return to a bench role.

Georges Niang ($3.5 million): Stretch-big who makes 41.6% of his three-point shots and is a fiery, likable presence on and off the court.

Paul Reed ($1.8 million): Third-year big man who has tantalizing potential because of his rebounding and defensive versatility, but who, at times, has lacked consistency and trust from Rivers. He will be a restricted free agent this summer.

(Note: Harden, House and Harrell all have player options for 2023-24 in their contracts)

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Other players to watch

Furkan Korkmaz ($5 million salary this season): Reserve swingman who is under contract through the 2023-24 season, but is not part of the rotation when the Sixers are healthy. Though outside shooting is his most valuable asset, he has gone 33.3% from long range this season after making just 28.9% of his attempts while dealing with a mysterious nerve injury in 2021-22.

Jaden Springer ($2.1 million salary this season): A 2021 first-round draft pick who has not yet received any meaningful NBA playing time. Though teammates and coaches praise his defensive tenacity, the 20-year-old is not polished enough to get regular minutes on the win-now Sixers. He could, however, be a more immediate fit on a rebuilding team.

Draft picks

Simply put, the Sixers don’t have much to offer here.

They do not have a first-round draft pick this summer, after the Brooklyn Nets deferred the asset acquired in the Simmons-Harden deal — which they could have taken last June — to 2023.

The Sixers do currently hold their first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, but they cannot be traded because of a rule that prohibits teams from not having a first-round selection in back-to-back drafts. Their 2025 first-rounder will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside the top 6, while their (likely) 2027 first-round selection will go to the Nets if it is lower than eighth.

The Sixers also lost their second-round selections for this summer and in 2024 as punishment for violating the league’s tampering rules in their free-agency pursuits of Tucker and House. The Sixers will receive a 2023 second-round pick from either the Nets, Charlotte Hornets or Atlanta Hawks.

Other teams’ moves could impact where the Sixers finish in the Eastern Conference and, thus, their playoff path.

The Chicago Bulls could be the NBA’s most interesting team to monitor heading into the trade deadline. After becoming one of the league’s pleasant surprises last season, they have tumbled to a disappointing 13-18 record entering Thursday. That could put several prominent players on the trading block, from Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso, to the injured Lonzo Ball, to stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.

The Toronto Raptors, who are 14-18 entering Thursday, could also be in line for a pivot to build around 2022 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, putting players such as Defensive Player of the Year contender OG Anunoby and sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. on the market. The Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins, meanwhile, is seemingly in trade rumors every year.

On the opposite side: Could the Cleveland Cavaliers be in line for another big-swing move, after the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster worked out so brilliantly? And what about the New York Knicks, who enter Thursday just behind the Sixers in the standings at 18-14? Or the Brooklyn Nets, who have (at least temporarily) emerged from off- and on-court drama to climb to fourth in the East at 20-12? And will the Pacers, who remain in the hunt for the play-in tournament, keep Myles Turner and Buddy Hield after all?

This is a post-trade deadline option for the Sixers, who still possess an open roster spot.

The usefulness of the buyout market depends on who is available, of course. It’s easy to celebrate when the Sixers picked up Erson Ilyosova and Marco Belinelli in 2018 as part of their fabulous regular-season finish. But Sixers fans would also prefer to forget last season, when veteran big man DeAndre Jordan was a failure as a late addition after Drummond was traded.