Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Josh Richardson.
The Sixers suffered two major losses on Wednesday night in Toronto. One of them may force the team to expedite a trade.
Shooting guard Josh Richardson was on the floor for only four minutes during a 107-95 loss to the Raptors when he felt something pop. He grabbed at his left leg and ran to the sideline never to return. Richardson suffered a “slight strain” of his left hamstring and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks, per The Athletic’s Shams Charnia.
The untimely setback could put him out until after the All-Star break. He had been averaging 15 points and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per game for the Sixers. Richardson came over to Philadelphia in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat.
“I see it as an opportunity,” head coach Brett Brown told reporters, via ESPN. “Something will happen out of this, where something will emerge. The spirit of the group is incredible. I really like coaching the team. They’ve got a togetherness, and we’ll figure this out.”
MRI on 76ers guard Josh Richardson showed slight strain of left hamstring and he’s expected to be re-evaluated in two-to-three weeks, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
The Sixers are still waiting to get Joel Embiid back from injury, too. The All-Star center has been out since Jan. 6 with a dislocated finger but there was growing optimism that Embiid could return as soon as this weekend versus Los Angeles.
Who Replaces Richardson in Sixers Starting Lineup?
The emergency plan for the Sixers would be to start either Matisse Thybulle or Furkan Korkmaz at shooting guard.
The starting job is expected to go to Thybulle. Both players saw their minutes increase during Wednesday night’s 107-95 loss to Toronto, with each guy logging 27 total minutes.
Thybulle was the team’s first-round draft pick (20th overall) and has been earning praise for his outside shooting and tough defense. He ranks 17th in the NBA in steals while averaging 1.5 per game. The rookie scored 13 points against the Raptors.
Meanwhile, Korkmaz has been a revelation from beyond the arc and the Sixers’ best long-ball threat. He poured in 17 points versus Toronto, including 4-of-8 from three. Korkmaz is shooting 39.5-percent from three-point land for the year.
If I told you in October that Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Mike Scott, Norvel Pelle, and Raul Neto were on the court together in the fourth quarter of a tight game against the Raptors, your first thought would be, “Raul Neto must be having a hell of a season.”
But Philadelphia has been linked to multiple trade packages as the league’s deadline approaches on Feb. 6. Their desire to add a legitimate three-point specialist and lock-down wing defender is the worst-kept secret in basketball.
For now, they might have to explore using reserve guys like Trey Burke and Shake Milton to carry them over the hump. Milton saw 23 minutes on Wednesday but Burke remained sidelined and designated “coach’s decision.”
Sixers Linked to Thunder’s Danilo Gallinari
The newest trade rumor had the Sixers pursuing Oklahoma City’s Danilo Gallinari, per The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
The Thunder forward is a sniper from long range — he’s shooting 40.8-percent from three — and is a guy who can create his own shot. Gallinari’s addition would be just what the doctor ordered for the Sixers, with or without Josh Richardson injured. He’s also averaging a hefty 19 points per game.
The Mavericks and Sixers are among teams that have expressed interest in Danilo Gallinari, per @KevinOConnorNBA
However, the 31-year-old carries a huge cap hit of $22.6 million and could be too pricey for the Sixers. They would most likely have to move either Richardson or Al Horford to acquire Gallinari, moves that wouldn’t make a ton of sense considering their recent injuries.
Joel Embiid is out with a dislocated finger and Richardson is dealing with a hamstring strain. While both injuries are considered minor — and both players are expected back relatively soon — a trade would strip the cupboard bare for a team that already lacks depth.
“Somebody has to step up,” said superstar guard Ben Simmons, via ESPN. “That’s everybody. One guy goes down, everybody has got to step up.”
Gallinari step through