Philly's roster shake-up could land Houston a dominant center. Learn how their expiring contracts might benefit the Rockets at the deadline.
The first of the month brings us increasingly closer to the February 5th trade deadline. Every team has decisions to make in the height of the NBA season, with their plans and trajectories constantly changing. One such team is the Philadelphia 76ers: a confusing team to say the least.
Tyrese Maxey has proven to be a true star in this league, leading all players in minutes per game, and third in points per game. Unfortunately the big dogs haven’t been able to match his level of play.
Their older stars (Joel Embiid and Paul George) have sadly battled through countless injuries for years. With a combined salary of over 100 million dollars, it’s not a huge surprise that the 27-21 Sixers are looking to shed 7.5 million dollars, per Crossing Broad. One player on the trading block stands out as an intriguing piece for the Rockets.
Andre Drummond is reportedly on the list of players that Philadelphia is willing to, and actively trying to part ways with. His 5 million dollar salary is easy to match in the NBA, as it’s barely above the league minimum.
After Steven Adams’ injury, the Rockets have reportedly shifted their focus from acquiring a guard to acquiring a center, per The Dream Shake. Drummond, having the second most 20 rebound games in NBA history, seems like an obvious fit to fill that void.
Back in Philly, the recent resurgence of Joel Embiid might’ve changed the Sixers’ plans. He suited up for 14 games in January alone, after only playing in 14 games through the first three months of the season combined. The big man’s displeasure with the idea of another salary dump for his team was made clear, here on Roundtable.
Regardless of whether our old friend, Daryl Morey, decides to shed salary or to improve their roster, I think Houston could potentially sneak in and snag themselves a suitable center.
If the Sixers truly want to dump salary, the Rockets still have a 12.5 million dollar Disabled Player Exception (DPE) available for Fred VanVleet's injury. All it’d take is some negotiating, and there you have it, a new backup center. The 14 year vet fits the parameters due to him being on the last year of his contract.
Another option, albeit less helpful for the Sixers, would be to send them two smaller contracts in exchange for Drummond. The potential outgoing Rockets would be Green, Tate, Holiday, and Okogie. This does overcomplicate things for minimal salary reduction though, as Philly would then need to discard an incoming player, while Houston would have to acquire another player.
Potentially the best, but most painful option would be to swap Tari Eason for Andre Drummond and draft picks.
This wouldn’t help the Sixers and their luxury tax issues, but it would at least benefit both teams in the immediate future. Paul George’s unexpected suspension leaves a big hole in their roster, and Tari would fill that well. Granting them the right to match any offers in free agency is another quirk of Eason's contract, as previously discussed on Roundtable. Definite pros and cons for both teams, but a trade worth considering if you ask me.