The NBA trade deadline is still a few weeks away, but it appears that the Sixers will be one of the more active teams trying to upgrade their bench.
According to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, the Sixers are one of the many teams angling for the playoffs that are willing to part ways with their 2019 first-round pick to receive immediate shooting help.
Along those same lines, he adds that Philadelphia is looking at big men who can stretch the floor such as Frank Kaminsky, Noah Vonleh, and Mike Scott. Even though this is a desperate need for the Sixers, who are not getting nearly enough production from Mike Muscala or Wilson Chandler this season. None of these players are worth giving up a first-round pick for.
For starters, Kaminsky has been a bust in Charlotte throughout his short NBA career. The former first-round pick is averaging career lows across the board this season with 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks in 11.4 minutes per game.
He is also shooting 49.5-percent from the field and 35-percent from three-point range on 1.7 attempts per game.
Vonleh, however, would be a slight upgrade over Kaminsky and Scott. The 23-year-old forward is having a career year under the direction of New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale.
The former Indiana Hoosier signed a one-year deal with the Knicks this offseason. Vonleh has done an admirable job filling in for the injured Kristaps Porzingis, averaging 8.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-9 forward is also shooting 46.4-percent from the field and 41.1-percent from three-point range on 2.1 attempts per game. Vonleh would a solid addition for the Sixers, but only at the right price (second-round pick).
Finally, when it comes to Mike Scott, he is barely making his presence felt with the Clippers. The 30-year-old forward is averaging a pedestrian 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.
Unlike Vonleh, the seven-year veteran is shooting 37.5-percent from the field and 34.9-percent from three-point range on 2.5 attempts per game.
In addition to those big men, the Sixers along with the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly interested in acquiring Atlanta backup point guard Jeremy Lin.
But the Hawks are looking for a first-round pick in return for the veteran point guard. Good luck trying to pry that from a playoff team. Lin was acquired this past summer in a trade from Brooklyn Nets.
As they are currently constructed, Philly could use a combo guard such as Lin, especially with Markelle Fultz still working his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).
This season with Atlanta, Lin is averaging 10.8 points and 3.6 assists in 19.5 minutes per game. However, he is shooting 47.8-percent from the field (career-high) and 34.7-percent from three-point range on 2.6 attempts per game.
As we get closer towards next month’s deadline, it should be interesting to see what the Sixers will do with their open roster spot and if they move any picks to fix it.
