NBA Trade Rumors: Elton Brand Just Dropped A Hint That The Philadelphia 76ers Have More Big Moves To Make
As the NBA trade deadline quickly approaches, there may be a sign that Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers still have more big moves to make.
The Sixers have been particularly active heading into the deadline, including a blockbuster deal that landed them Tobias Harris on Tuesday. But as Sixers beat writer Martin Frank noted, Brand may still have more up his sleeve.
Frank noted that amidst the team’s blowout loss on Tuesday, some fans started chanting at Brand that they wanted more trades. Brand smiled back, Frank noted. This came before the Harris trade was announced, but many believe that Philadelphia still has more big moves to make, which Brand seemed to be hinting.
The biggest rumors have centered on Markelle Fultz, the oft-injured point guard who may have played his last minutes with the Sixers. Fultz had struggled to find a place on the team, largely because of the long stretches he has missed due to injury. Even though the Philadelphia 76ers invested the first overall pick in Fultz, reports indicate that they are not letting that tie them down to keeping him, and the point guard appears to be one of the biggest potential pieces available on trade deadline day.
Fultz would likely net the Sixers a players who could contribute this season, and the team is reportedly looking for some complementary assets.
As NBC Sports Philadelphia noted, Elton Brand appears to be playing the game patiently, staying mostly quiet after the blockbuster deal in November that landed them Jimmy Butler. Brand doesn’t appear to be among the half dozen teams in hot pursuit of Anthony Davis, for example, but instead has made a series of smaller moves that continue to build the team’s depth going into what could be a run at the Eastern Conference title.
“But don’t be surprised when it’s someone like the Pistons’ Reggie Bullock or the Hawks’ Dewayne Dedmon as opposed to [Jrue] Holiday or Davis,” the report noted.
“You may be disappointed to read that, but you shouldn’t be. The Sixers have star power. It’s depth that will get them on par with the Bucks, Raptors and Celtics.”
Elton Brand has made two win-now moves since becoming 76ers GM on Sept 18.
He was playing as recently as the 2015-16 season, now he's quietly gunning for NBA's Executive of the Year award pic.twitter.com/ZoxcBqBMZg
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) February 6, 2019
It remains to be seen what more Elton Brand may have planned for the Philadelphia 76ers before the NBA trade deadline, but the moves he has already made have Philadelphia a title contender this year and has many sportswriters saying he could be in line for GM of the Year.
