Five Big Questions for the Trade Deadline & Presumed Life After
Zo preps us for a turning point in the Sixers' season that could still kinda go either way.
By the time of my next Corner Three another NBA trade deadline will have passed, and the Sixers will at least be a marginally different looking team. So let’s dive into some questions about it.
1. Should the team look to be buyers or sellers?
The Sixers find themselves in a very precarious position (please God stop me if you’ve heard that before) but the tank isn’t as clear as it used to be. With OKC owning the pick outside of the top six, it’s virtually impossible to keep it now — outside of the possibility of a few miracles and Paul George’s finger taking the rest of the season to heal (wink).
However, they virtually have peanuts to shop with — so again, of all years for the water to be super muddy, this is unfortunately the hand that Daryl Morey and Co. have. That said, I think we’ll find them being mostly sellers, getting (hopefully) a second-round pick or two for a few vets but also getting younger and hungrier plug-ins at a few spots, and convincing the big three that they aren’t totally waving the flag on this season.
2. What do you make of Joel Embiid supposedly pushing for a Jimmy Butler reunion?
It sounds better in theory — at least to the two of them — I’m sure, but no way you can pull the plug on the PG experiment six months after you FINALLY got a top-tier free agent to sign here of his own volition. And not for nothing, he hasn’t been terrible — and Jimmy, like all the other non-LeBron old guys in the league, is always banged up, and super dickhead(ish) when he’s not getting his way, and water is wet etc.
3. Any non Big 3 guy you hope the Sixers hold onto?
Kelly Oubre is probably my number one but I understand he may want to get paid. He’s had a great year and deserves it, but if they hold onto him and he exercises his option for next year I would hope something long term could be worked out.
4. What non-Sixers team do you expect to be active?
I think the Bulls and Suns are going to be incredibly active on the phones. For completely opposite reasons but still.
5. You were pretty spot on with your Birds keys to victory last week. Can we expect one closer to Super Bowl Sunday?
Yes, surely. As a primer, just remember it took the Avengers a second time to beat Thanos. All I’ll say.
