NBA Rumors: Sixers Could Swap Josh Richardson For Dennis Schroder, Per ‘The Sixer Sense’
Despite being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2020 Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers have made it clear to everyone in the league that they have no intention of breaking their young superstar duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Instead of immediately giving up on their two franchise cornerstones, the Sixers are planning to find ways to get a better supporting cast in the 2020-21 NBA season. The 2020 free agency may not be as star-studded as the previous offseason, but there are plenty of quality players expected to be available on the trading block this fall, including Dennis Schroder of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a recent article, Michael Chiodo of Fansided’s The Sixer Sense included Schroder on the list of five under-the-radar trade targets for the Sixers in the 2020 offseason. To acquire Schroder, Chiodo suggested that the Sixers could offer a package centered on sending Josh Richardson to the Thunder.
“Schroder is a scoring guard who can distribute the ball and hold his own on the defensive end when at his best. When at his worst, Schroder is a black hole offensively and gets roasted on the perimeter on defense. For the Sixers, they’d be betting on their new coach being able to get the best out of Schroder. If they can, he’d be a perfect fit next to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and could potentially move the needle in terms of the Sixers’standing in the East.”
Though he spent the past two seasons in Oklahoma City serving as their sixth man, Schroder has proved on numerous occasions that he’s ready for the starting role. He would give the Sixers a starting caliber point guard who is also a very reliable scoring option and an elite three-pointer. This season, the 27-year-old floor general averaged 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
The potential acquisition of Schroder would provide the Sixers the option to move Simmons to the starting power forward position. If Simmons still insists on running the floor, it wouldn’t be a problem for Schroder since he’s capable of excelling on the court even without the ball in his hands. If he meshes well with Simmons, Embiid, and Tobias Harris, he would undeniably make the Sixers a more competitive team in the Eastern Conference next year.
Being traded to Philadelphia would also be beneficial for Schroder. Compared to the Thunder who are still in the initial phase of the rebuilding process, joining forces with Simmons and Embiid would give him a legitimate chance of contending for the NBA championship title.
