76ers trade for all-around scorer, upgrade their backcourt in proposed deal
The Philadelphia 76ers upgrade their backcourt by trading for this all-around scorer in this trade proposal.
Following a three-game skid, the Philadelphia 76ers have returned to playing impressive basketball, having won four straight games against teams currently in the postseason picture. Joel Embiid’s play has injected some much-needed boost to their winning cause, but guard Tyrese Maxey has also been a defining factor, averaging 26.3 points and 6.3 assists per outing during that stretch.
Come February, Maxey should be a first-time All-Star repping Philly in Indianapolis. There’s only one guard who has had a more impressive season out East this season (hint: he’s another Tyrese), and while he may not start according to the latest voting returns, he’s poised to make it in as a reserve.
The Philadelphia 76ers should continue looking for backcourt help
The 76ers are led by Maxey in the backcourt, but the front office has no reason to deem it the rightful configuration if they want to truly contend this season. Beyond him, the team is banking on role players to hold down the fort when he takes a breather — a not-so-inspiring formula considering his injury history and how well-rounded their rivals are when it comes to their backcourts.
As a result, Philadelphia should remain on the market for backcourt help before the trade deadline, which is starting to inch closer. Here is one trade proposal that has them snagging an all-around scorer to help the team out off the bench or as Maxey’s potential backcourt mate.
76ers upgrade their backcourt by trading for this all-around scorer in proposed deal
Philadelphia 76ers
Atlanta HawksIn this trade proposed by Bleacher Report, the Philadelphia 76ers acquire veteran wing Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Atlanta Hawks for veteran forward Robert Covington, wing Furkan Korkmaz, guard Jaden Springer, a 2026 first-rounder (the least favorable between OKC, HOU, and LAC), and a 2024 second-round pick via the Knicks.
Atlanta has disappointed this season at large, and as the reports have indicated in the last few weeks, their front office has become a lot more amenable to a substantial retool. With Bogdanovic pegged as a hot commofity among contenders this season, they would be wise to try and liquidate him for assets they can use in the long run.
Meanwhile, the 76ers are not expected to be in the market for a star acquisition, but there is definitely room for a upgrade or two on the margins. Robert Covington, Furkan Korkmaz, and Jaden Springer’s expiring deals line up as good salary matchers in anticipation of a reset by the Hawks, while draft compensation is surely in the list of demands from any Bogdanovic suitor.
How does this deal grade out for the 76ers?
Why the 76ers should trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic is currently in the running for Sixth Man of the Year. Coming off a very impressive run where he led the Nikola Jokic-less Serbia to a silver finish in the FIBA World Cup, he has continued his lights out scoring off Atlanta’s bench. He’s second among all qualified players in second-unit scoring with 16.7 points per outing in 27.4 minutes of game play.
Clearly, Bogdanovic would be an instant upgrade over anyone off Philadelphia’s bench, which ranks dead-last in scoring despite being 23rd in minutes per game. He’s an energizer bunny with his three-level scoring, but he’s also a tenable secondary playmaker, expertly attacking closeouts and running drive-and-kick actions.
Alternatively, he is another option Nick Nurse can opt for in regards to his starting unit. While De’Anthony Melton has impressed defensively, his offense has been shaky. Sans him, the coaching staff has regularly gone to Kelly Oubre Jr., but he has cooled off after his fiery start to the season.
Bogdanovic is a realistic get. He is signed for three more seasons after the present campaign with a club option on his final year and has an appropriately rated deal that should age well, either as a player they want to retain or flip later as a trade bait. There’s minimal risk to trading for the Serbian wing, and should the Hawks agree to a return package along those lines, the 76ers should do it in a heartbeat.
Why the 76ers should not trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic
For all the merits that come with adding Bogdanovic, the 76ers need no more infusion of offense. They have the the sixth-best offense in the league, which could be a lot better had Embiid not missed a considerable amount of games. Clearly, they’re fine on that end.
Investing on Bogdanovic just seems duplicitous. They already have Kelly Oubre Jr. on the roster who, despite slowing down, offers more defensive upside over the defensively challenged (or unpredisposed) Bogdanovic. Tobias Harris has been more than enough as a tertiary option. The attendant effect of having to take away from their best connectors in Nicolas Batum, Melton, and Patrick Beverley is unlikley to please anyone.
Sure, there is minimal risk in striking a deal for the seven-year veteran, but there is also minimal benefit to adding him when considering what the 76ers have to give up on both the assets and minutes department. The 76ers are already cemented on their pecking order on offense. Trying to forcibly shoehorn another mouth to feed is a gamble.
Grade: A-
Nevertheless, the pros of trading for Bogdan Bogdanovic far outweigh the cons, which are purely theoretical at this juncture. Not only is he a surefire floor-raiser for the team this season, but he is also someone they can keep for the foreseeable future as a cheap tertiary cog who should stand as one of the best role players in the league.
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