It is known fact that the Philadelphia 76ers want to make a bold trade. Several of the NBA trade rumor mills have the 76ers completing at least one trade. Depending on which media report you believe the Sixers are hard at work trying to trade either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor .
According to ESPN , the Sixers have put them both on the trade block . Sixers fans can expect one, or both of them to be gone by end of the NBA Draft which is held in less than a week.
Thanks to their new general manager Bryan Colangelo, the Philadelphia 76ers will make wise moves with a purpose. Unlike most NBA trades, the player which nets the most in return will be the one who the 76ers move. It is the belief that any trade will hinge on the fit of the players coming back in return.
For instance, one NBA trade rumor that is floating around has the 76ers acquiring guard Eric Bledsoe from the Phoenix Suns .
Are the Philadelphia 76ers involved in trade talks with the Phoenix Suns?
According to NJ.com , the two sides have broached the subject of a deal.
Is Eric Bledsoe the player whom the Sixers covet?
That remains to be seen.
What also remains to be seen is how much teams are willing to give up for Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. A better question might be what are the Sixers seeking for them.
Noel and Okafor have two distinctive skill sets.
Nerlens Noel is a defensive-minded player, with an evolving offensive game. Rim protection and rebounding are his specialties. What Noel has to work on going forward is the extension of his jump shot from beyond 15 feet.
Nerlens Noel developing a consistent jumper would help the 76ers or the team that trades for him. That possibility could factor in the 76ers’ asking price and their reported preference to trade Jahlil Okafor over Noel. As of now, veteran guards are getting linked to the team regardless who the 76ers trade.
If this turns out to be true, ? to Bryan Colangelo. https://t.co/LN5mthXdoc
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) June 13, 2016
Names such as Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose and Eric Bledsoe have been mentioned in the NBA trade rumors. Each of those rumors had Nerlens Noel going back to the Atlanta Hawks , Chicago Bulls , and Phoenix Suns, respectively. The Hawks and Suns are likely looking at Noel, but the Bulls are looking hard at Jahlil Okafor. The Bulls may be onto something, which the 76ers can capitalize on.
So far, all of the NBA trade rumors involving Okafor have quieted down considerably. That has less to do with the interest in him, and more to do with his market. If Okafor’s market continues to dwindle, the 76ers will not be able to get much in return for him, that may allow them to make a deal with the Bulls.
Watching the ongoing NBA Finals where centers seem obsolete, leave general managers across the league to believe that Jahlil Okafor is a dinosaur. Rewind to seven years ago, players like Okafor would have been a wanted commodity. And the 76ers would not be so quick to move him. Teams sought after back to the basket big men whom they can get the basketball to for points when it was deemed necessary.
The NBA has gone head first into the direction of frontcourt players similar to Nerlens Noel. That increases his trade value immensely. If the Philadelphia 76ers play things the right way they can field a playoff team with the players that can get in return for both Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor.
Here is how things should happen for the 76ers.
The 76ers work out a deal with the Bulls in a swap of Jahlil Okafor for Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson. The Bulls can throw in a second round picks, one this season and the 2018 season as a thanks to the 76ers for taking Rose’s contract.
After dealing with the Bulls, the 76ers should then send Nerlens Noel to the Suns for Eric Bledsoe, forward P.J. Tucker and a future first round pick. The 76ers can throw in a second round selection to help sweeten the pot and convince the Suns to deal. Or the Philadelphia 76ers can also hold off on trading Noel altogether. They would still get Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls. Which would be a nice haul for the 76ers.
This would give the 76ers a lineup of Bledsoe and Rose in the backcourt, the No. 1 pick, Taj Gibson and Joel Embiid in the frontcourt. The Sixers would have Jerami Grant, Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Ish Smith, Carl Landry and Tucker coming off the bench. The 76ers would be small, but they would be able to run thanks to the gifts from the Bulls and Suns.
#Bulls still like Jahlil Okafor from #76ers , who want a for a Top pick in return. A 3 Way scenario between CHI, PHI, & Minny may come up.
— Carlos Douglas Jr. (@TheRealC_Los) June 14, 2016
The 76ers would get a motivated Derrick Rose, who is looking at proving everyone, including the Bulls wrong, before heading into free agency. Philadelphia would have a small combo guard in Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe can score, pass, rebound and defend. Bledsoe would be motivated to show the Suns that they made a mistake. With Gibson and Tucker, the 76ers get players who will do the little things, such as set screens and play defense.
As far as the lack of size on the roster, the 76ers can be addressed in free agency. Golden State power forward James Michael McAdoo or Toronto’s Bismack Biyombo would be perfect for the Sixers. That would be a good enough lineup for the 76ers to compete for a seventh or eighth seed.
It is a fact that the Philadelphia 76ers want to make some moves in an effort to get the team to the postseason next year. How the 76ers play their hand in the trades they make will determine their success. Getting a proper idea for the market values of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor helps the 76ers get there.
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