Philadelphia 76ers Trading 24-Year-Old Forward to Clippers

The Philadelphia 76ers have paved the way to officially sign veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

After the announcements that LeBron James and Pope intended to sign with the Sixers, two moves were necessary. The first decision made by Mike Gansey and company was waiving Dalen Terry to make the signing of James official.

Now, Philadelphia is trading 24-year-old big man Johni Broome and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for cash considerations, per ESPN's Shams Charania. This deal allows the Sixers to remain below both aprons.

For the 76ers, the decision likely came down to either waiving forward Jabari Walker or sending Broome elsewhere. It's clear the team values Walker's contributions more than Broome's upside, which is completely understandable.

Broome spent the majority of his rookie campaign in the G League, but when he found NBA minutes, he averaged 0.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 11 games. Meanwhile, Walker recorded 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game on 45.5% shooting in 64 appearances.

This was the right move by Philadelphia, as bringing in Pope while cutting ties with Broome was the best route to take. The goal is to contend right now with the loaded starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James, and Joel Embiid. 

Pope may not find himself regularly in the rotation, but there was no chance Broome was going to contribute on such a stacked roster next season. Now, he has the opportunity to go to Los Angeles, where it is more likely he'll have a chance to prove himself.

Although Pope could be utilized in only certain matchups, it's still a solid pickup by the 76ers. He is an established 3-and-D guard who has plenty of experience on the biggest stage. The 33-year-old averaged 8.4 points on 41.0% shooting last season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

With the addition of Pope to become official soon, the 76ers' roster heading into next season is likely set. And the depth chart truly is full of talent from top to bottom. The aforementioned starting lineup is arguably the best in the NBA; the bench is highlighted by free agency signings Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons; and rookie Labaron Philon Jr. and Pope are there to support the Sixers' starting backcourt duo.

There was no guarantee the 76ers were going to be able to find a suitor for Broome, but the fact they did and can keep Walker is another win.