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Let’s table all the Ben Simmons’ trade chatter for a moment. There are just too many moving parts to foresee anything happening on that front before the deadline on February 10. Maybe it does. More likely it doesn’t.
Regardless of what happens with Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers should be exploring one or two lesser deals. The Sixers could benefit from adding another point guard and a 3-and-D wing player as they ramp up for a postseason run. Health concerns over Seth Curry (ankle, back) and Danny Green (hamstring) remain ongoing issues. The buyout market would be the other route to consider for reinforcements.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger floated out the idea of asking the Indiana Pacers about Justin Holiday. The former front-office executive proposed sending Furkan Korkmaz in what he called a “cap-kosher” move. Indiana would gain a cheaper two-way wing under contract for one additional year. The Sixers get a lights-out shooter with defensive chops.
Two major problems with that potential trade: one, Korkmaz is dealing with left knee soreness and hasn’t suited up since January 29. He’s also in one of the worst shooting slumps of his life: 18.2% from three-point land in December while going 28.4% in January. Would the Pacers want a fading player?
Then there is the issue of Holiday’s vaccination status. The 32-year-old refuses to protect himself against COVID-19, meaning that he would be unable to play in home games for the Sixers due to Philadelphia’s vaccine mandate for indoor events.
Holiday could only take the floor in road contests unless he were to change his mind, which one league source told Bleacher Report might be a possibility. He has missed five games so far this season due to COVID-19. He’s averaging 11.1 points per game while shooting 38% from deep.
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Seth Curry Remains Game-Time Decision
Seth Curry will be a game-time decision for the Sixers on Friday night in Dallas. The shooting guard is questionable for the 10 p.m. matchup against the Mavericks.
He has been dealing with left ankle soreness and back stiffness since early January. Needless to say, he’ll probably do everything in his power to put on a strong showing against the Mavericks. They are the team that (regrettably) traded him in 2020.
Curry missed four straight games before returning on January 29 against Sacramento. He took the floor versus Memphis (January 31), then sat out against Washington (February 2). But the 31-year-old hasn’t looked like himself. He combined for 17 points against the Kings and Grizzlies while shooting 7-of-25 from the field (3-of-15 from three-point land).
Joel Embiid Climbs to Top of MVP Ladder
Joel Embiid has taken over the top spot in the Kia Race to the MVP Ladder, according to NBA.com. He grabbed the lead over Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets as the Sixers’ star looks to win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. Embiid has been on a tear since December 26, including starts in a 21-game start streak before he took the night off on January 31.
The Eastern Conference Player of the Week is averaging 29.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists per game. The race is far from over, but Embiid has played like a man possessed. The Sixers are 27-12 with the 7-footer on the court while going 4-8 without him. Michael C. Wright wrote:
0 CommentsOver his 14 games in January, Embiid averaged an NBA-best 34.0 points to go with 10.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 blocks, all while shooting 54.2% from the floor. Since the 1981-82 season, Embiid is one of just five players to average 34 points and 10 rebounds in a month while playing in at least 10 games, joining Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Karl Malone, and Moses Malone.