The Philadelphia 76ers boast no shortage of All-Star appearances on the roster between stars James Harden and Joel Embiid. The total number, 16 appearances, is a staggering one. But according to Doc Rivers, the Sixers very nearly added five more appearances to the roster after the trade deadline.
After defeating the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Rivers confirmed earlier reports that the Sixers were interested in acquiring Cavaliers franchise legend Kevin Love after his surprise buyout last month.
“We tried to get him (Love) too. I know it was us and Miami, probably one other team. He’s just a solid player. More importantly, if it hadn’t worked here, if he hadn’t played well, you still want him in the locker room,” Rivers said.
Doc Rivers confirmed the Sixers’ interest in Kevin Love: “We tried to get him too. I know it was us and Miami, probably one other team. He’s just a solid player. More importantly, if it hadn’t worked here, if he hadn’t played well, you still want him in the locker room.”
Ultimately, Love chose to sign with Miami, spurning Embiid much like Love’s new teammate Jimmy Butler did in 2019.
Love would have gone a long way toward solidifying the Sixers’ backup big spot. Though not a traditional five, Love is more than capable of playing at the four, where he’d likely have backed up PJ Tucker and Tobias Harris.
Since joining the Heat, Love is averaging 7.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, the latter of which would have been especially useful on a Sixers team that ranks 28th in rebounds per game.
Heat Star Sounds Off on PJ Tucker After Sixers Loss
Love appears to be settling in nicely for the Heat, having started in each of his four games with Miami so far. That includes playing alongside Butler, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo, three of Miami’s brightest stars.
After thumping the Sixers earlier in the week, Herro singled out one Sixers player in particular whose presence, or lack thereof was felt.
“I mean, you see our record now without (PJ Tucker), right?” Herro said, per Justin Grasso of Sports Illustrated. “We were first in the East with him, and now we’re struggling to find our identity without him.”
Tucker spent all of last season with the Heat, serving as an integral part of Miami’s conference finals run. His impact on the floor — 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds — was almost as important as his off-the-floor identity setting, a key reason why the Sixers brought him to Philadelphia in the offseason.
Butler Shades Tucker After Heat Win
Herro wasn’t the only one who had words for Tucker.
Also after the Sixers’ loss to Miami this week, Butler called out Tucker, telling Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire that he “has respect for anybody he’s been in the trenches with.”
Jimmy Butler says he has respect for anybody he’s been in the trenches with. He did throw in a: “I hate you PJ”. #Sixers
In typical Butler fashion, he also added an “I hate you PJ” following his praise for the Sixers big.
This isn’t the first time Butler, who played for Philadelphia during the 2018-19 season, name-dropped members of the Sixers. After the Heat eliminated Philadelphia during last season’s conference semifinals, Butler ran to the locker room yelling, “Tobias Harris over me?”
Butler’s comments reference the inglorious end to his tenure in Philadelphia. After being traded to the City of Brotherly Love in a midseason deal, Butler headed to the Heat in the offseason after reports that the Sixers chose to build around Harris and Ben Simmons over Butler.
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Doc Rivers Reveals Sixers Nearly Landed Five-Time All-Star in February