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When the Philadelphia 76ers signed free agent PJ Tucker this summer, the move was heralded as an excellent addition for a team looking ahead at a deep playoff run. Emphasis on playoff.
After all, Tucker has been somewhat disappointing this season, his first in a Sixers uniform. His form has come in waves: during a five-game stretch in late November to early December, he boasted a minus-8.6 net rating. Over his next four, a plus-9.5. Since then: minus-2.7. Those net ratings come amidst a stretch in which Philadelphia is 12-5; in other words, the Sixers are often finding ways to win despite the nothingness (at best) given by Tucker on a nightly basis.
According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, the Sixers should look trading for an upgrade at Tucker’s position. Here’s one that Buckley laid out, which sees the Sixers winners of the Jae Crowder sweepstakes:
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Jae Crowder
Phoenix Suns receive: Matisse Thybulle, Georges Niang, and Jaden Springer
“Starting with the Sixers, Crowder would fit like a tailored suit,” Buckley wrote. “He’d fill the same complementary, defense-first role as P.J. Tucker, only Crowder is five years younger and less hesitant to launch on offense. Four spots of Philly’s closing playoff lineup are obvious, but Crowder could enter the discussion for that final one.”
Former GM Urges Caution with Tucker
One of the more obvious statistics, scoring, shows Tucker’s decline from last season. With the Heat, Tucker contributed 7.6 points per game. This season, though, that figure’s been shredded down to just 3.4.
But that shouldn’t be much of a concern, according to one former GM.
“He scored nearly as infrequently with Milwaukee in his partial season there in 2020-21 (6.2 points per 100) and was still as a key player on the eventual champion. And, of course, he also helped teams in Houston and Miami reach the conference finals,” former Memphis Grizzlies GM John Hollinger noted for The Athletic.
Doc Rivers talks about a hard-fought OT win over #Pacers. Philly started small, with 3 guards plus Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker, then got a huge boost from Montrezl Harrell … #Sixers #HereTheyCome
But that also misses the point of why the Sixers brought Tucker in the first place. With reigning scoring champ Joel Embiid and fellow high-scorers James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, Tucker wasn’t brought in to put the ball in the hoop.
Instead, Tucker was signed to help solve some of Philadelphia’s rebounding issues and beef up its defense on opposing teams’ best players come playoff time. Time will tell whether Tucker still has what it takes to be a meaningful playoff contributor.
Sixers Would Face Battle to Sign Crowder
While Buckley isn’t reporting that the Sixers are in on the Crowder sweepstakes, it’s no secret that he would be a nice fit in the red, white, and blue.
Another known: Philadelphia would face some competition in landing Crowder.
For weeks now, teams like the Heat and Bucks have been linked to Crowder. But according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, a deal for Crowder hasn’t materialized because it’s been “challenging to do trade business with the Suns.”
“On the Jae Crowder front, one the issues is that there isn’t a straight-up trade the Suns have liked for him, so they’ve tried to do these three-team trades,” Windhorst explained. “…They may have to lower their standard.”
PJ Tucker is going to need a couple beers and an ice bath after this game for the beating he’s taking trying to slow Zion down.
With the Suns apparently not backing down in its asking price, the Sixers could ostensibly offer one of the stronger packages out there for Crowder’s services.
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Sixers Trade Proposal Lands Two-Way Wing Reinforcement Amid PJ Tucker Concerns