Brutally Honest: The biggest trade the 76ers will regret not doing this season, The Sixers are currently on a freefall in the standings, thanks…
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently on a freefall in the standings, thanks in large part to Joel Embiid still being sidelined due to injury amid a difficult schedule in the latter part of the season. With the playoffs now looming, there’s not a lot that team can do but two stay patient and hold out the best way they can as they await his fate.
Having said that, the team could’ve had a more seamless adjustment sans Embiid if their other big men stepped up. Unfortunately, the duo of Paul Reed and Mo Bamba has been as inconsistent as it can get, forcing Nick Nurse to trot out funky lineups just to mitigate his team’s lack of a reliable center to man the paint for longer periods of time.
The 76ers could have solved their big man problem earlier
In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, which was a month ago, Philadelphia was reckoned to be on the lookout for reinforcements at the center position, acknowledging the deficiencies of Reed and Bamba. Unfortunately, the deadline lapsed without the 76ers getting their hands on one, and the buyout market isn’t teeming with must-sign players either.
Now, the team is stuck with what they have, and even if Embiid manages to return, they will remain vulnerable in light of the fact that he will most likely be limited anyway. That could be a death knell in the playoffs, where even the briefest of spurts could swing a game entirely.
To add insult to injury, the 76ers could have solved their big man conundrum earlier before the trade deadline, and the fact that they did not persevere on this trade is something they will definitely regret this season.
Philadelphia 76ersRECEIVE
Chicago BullsRECEIVE
Bleacher Report recently released a list of trades that every team should regret not doing before the trade deadline, which had the 76ers hypothetically acquiring veteran center Andre Drummond from the Chicago Bulls for young forward KJ Martin and three future second-round picks.
Drummond, whom the Bulls notably pulled out of the trade market just moments before the deadline and when the 76ers believed they had him clinched, has turned in a very productive season for Chicago despite playing the second-least minutes per game in his career.
In just 17.3 minutes of court time per contest, Drummond has tallied 8.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game — an eye-popping statline conisdering his meager playing time behind Nikola Vucevic. He’s been a critical rotation piece for Billy Donovan this season, and the 76ers will definitely regret not having him with Embiid sidelined.
Why the 76ers will regret not trading for Andre Drummond
Put simply, Philadelphia has been predictably bad without Embiid this season, going 9-19 in the 28 games the reigning MVP has missed so far. Naturally, the league’s leading scorer will leave a gaping hole on the scoring department, but his presence as a rebounder and the team’s defensive anchor also cannot be understated.
With Embiid in the lineup, the 76ers average 44.3 rebounds per game, a mark which would rank 10th in the league. Without him, the team corrals just 41.4 boards per outing, the fourht-worst tally among all teams. Rebounding is Drummond’s best skill, where he’s actually historically great, and while he’s far from a savant on offense, his presence alone is massive on the boards, especially in second-chance opportunities.
Admittedly, Drummond is still a limited player. That the Bulls continue to give Vucevic a huge serving of minutes is a testament to that. However, his seemingly dead value in recent seasons has seen a complete 180 thanks to his foreseeable effectiveness in more limited configurations.
Trading Martin, a seldom-used player whose skillset is tricky to shoehorn as a point of reliance, as well as three second-round picks (which are dispensable anyway due to their waning value), should have been their play. Unofrtunately, the Bulls gouged Drummond’s price tag and the 76ers decided not to cave in.
It may not hurt them in the long run, but not persisting on striking a deal for Andre Drummond could just be the difference between the Philadelphia 76ers being a playoff threat and an easy out this season given the context of Embiid’s situation.
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