Sad news: The 76ers’ G-League stars are among the top vote-getters for the next game
While a lot of the focus around the NBA’s All-Star weekend will rightfully be centered around the biggest names in the NBA, the G-League gets an event of its own, the Next Up game.
In the first return of votes, two members of the Delaware Blue Coats, the G-League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, have been featured; Darius Bazley and Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Lofton Jr, who joined the Blue Coats ahead of the start of the regular season, has made an immediate impact on the team, averaging 25 points per game, which is the joint seventh-highest throughout the G-League.
Apart from his scoring acumen, Lofton Jr has proven to be quite the interior threat, managing to record an average of nine rebounds per game.
The 21-year-old featured in the 2022-23 Next Up match, as a part of Scoot Henderson’s team.
Bazley, on the other hand, has been quite the regular for Mike Longabardi’s team since joining in early December, appearing in 11 matches so far.
The former Oklahoma City Thunder star’s two-way playstyle has become a cornerstone of Delaware’s system, averaging 20 points on an efficient 47 percent from the field, as well as two blocks and ten rebounds per game.
Elsewhere on the list sits former 76er and Blue Coats’ star Mac McClung, who has been on a tear with the Osceola Magic this season, averaging 25 points per game on 50 percent from the field.
The Next Up match will take place on Sunday, February 18 at 1:30 p.m. EST in the lead up to the 73rd NBA All-Star Game set to take place at the Indiana Pacers’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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76ers Trade Rumors: Latest on Philly’s Pursuit of LaVine, Siakam, Murray
With less than a month to go until the trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers are a team consistently popping up in rumors. One insider recently detailed the latest on their involvement with some of the top names on the market. Over the past few weeks, the Sixers have been tied to a handful of players.
The most notable being Zach LaVine, Pascal Siakam, and Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. While Morey appears to be doing his due diligence, it doesn’t seem like the front office is heavily pursuing any of these avenues. In his latest trade rumor roundup, Jake Fischer touched on the Sixers’ interest regarding this trio of All-Stars. It has followed the same pattern as most rumors, that being that the team is remaining patient to maintain flexibility moving forward.
“Philadelphia is not in any rush to add a piece or burn any of the Sixers’ newfound draft capital by way of the Harden trade, sources said,” Fischer wrote. “If the Hawks don’t operate with urgency to find a deal, perhaps a trade could come to fruition for Murray closer to the deadline. That being said, there’s little expectation among league figures that the Sixers will pursue Siakam or LaVine during this trade window.” Following the James Harden trade, the Sixers are in a position to be a major player in free agency this upcoming offseason.
Knowing this, Morey and the front office don’t appear on doing anything that could hinder their long-term financial flexibility. While Siakam will be a free agent at the end of the season, Murray and LaVine still have multiple years left on their contracts.
The success of the team has made things a little easier for Morey regarding trades. Between the emergence of Tyrese Maxey and multiple standouts in the supporting cast, the Sixers have outdone expectations. Even with their recent losing skid, they remain a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.
Based on how most Sixers’ rumors have been worded, it doesn’t seem like the big move will come at the deadline. Unless something changes, smaller upgrades could be made in the short term while they wait until the offseason to make a big splash.
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