Three Role Players to Watch for Sixers at the Trade Deadline
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, March 25: just a few days away.
It’s safe to say that the second 76ers' 2021 season has started turbulent. Joel Embiid’s injury has slightly soured the fanbase’s mood despite the team’s success on the court. In this stretch of games, the bench has immensely outperformed itself compared to how they played before the All-Star break. However, the Sixers still need more of a vetran presence and reliable players off the bench. So, here are three players that the Sixers should consider acquiring before the trade deadline.
This article is the second of an ongoing series, where I’ll evaluate potential trading candidates for Sixers. The next article will be on the buyout market and the previous article was about trading for star players.
George Hill
Besides Ben Simmons, the Sixers do not have a guard that can create for others. Sure, Shake Milton and Seth Curry can handle the ball, create for themselves, and pass to others when needed, but neither are true facilitators. George Hill provides this off the bench although only averaging 3.1 assists this year on a 3-1 assist to turnover ratio. Hill is simply put a smart basketball player who can set up an offense. Moreover, He also has shot 38.6% from deep this season.
It is also important to note that Hill had thumb surgery in early February. However, according to the Thunder Wire the surgery is a “minor procedure”, and has contributed to Hill only playing 14 games this season.
Although Hill won’t tip the scales if traded to Philly, his vetran presence, playoff experience, and play-making ability off the bench undoubtedly helps.
Larry Nance Jr.
Larry Nance is one of those players who improves every season. Averaging around 9.6 points per game, career highs in assists (3), steals (1.8), and three point percentage (36.7%), Nace is an intriguing option for the Sixers.
Side Note:
For extra context on those stats Nace is also averaging a career high 33 minutes per game.
Additionally, his fit with the Sixers is pretty seamless. He can play with Simmons as a stretch five, is a decent rim protector, and does crash the glass effectively, despite averaging a career low in rebounds. That dip in production can be attributed to the fact that Lance is stretching the floor more than ever, resulting in less offensive rebounds due to his distance from the basket. Furthermore, he is a solid option with the bench only line-up if Dwight is in foul trouble or has a bad match-up.
Even with the improved play of Mike Scott and the emergence of Tony Bradley, the player that Larry Nance Jr. developed himself into is unquestionably an upgrade over the aforementioned players. His length, rebounding, and improved floor spacing is extremely valuable at the right price.
Wayne Ellington
The Sixers’ interest in Ellington is simple: he can shoot the basketball. Specifically, he’s shooting over 40% on 10 attempts per game from three this season. That should be enough for Daryl Morey to send an offer to the Pistons. However, Ellington certainly comes with his deficiencies as well.
For one, despite still being athletic, Ellington’s athleticism in his twelfth NBA season is not what it once was. Furthermore, he is only attempting 2.6 two-pointers this season, implying that he may be a one trick pony on offense. However, Ellington’s role on the Sixers will be less than what he was asked in Detroit. All Ellington needs to do is hit shots. Ultimately, despite his average at best defense, at the right price Ellington is a good addition to this Sixers’ bench.
Final Thoughts
Although the Sixers currently have the number one seed in the Eastern conference, it would be foolish of them not to look to improve their roster at the trade deadline. This team lacks veterans off the bench and should not solely rely on all their youthful players to produce in the postseason. Some bench veterans and shooters would be welcomed additions to the Sixers.
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All stats were via Basketball Reference
Featured photo from Erik Drost