Getty Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors.
The Philadelphia 76ers were mostly quiet at the trade deadline, pulling off a much-expected move that shipped Matisse Thybulle out of town in a salary-saving move. But just because Philly declined to pull off a significant trade, doesn’t mean the team is locked in as presently constructed.
Philly currently has an open roster spot, one that’s been held open since the team parted ways with Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey before the season.
According to Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report, Philly could fill that spot and serve as an ideal fit for former Sixer and champion Danny Green.
“Green will nevertheless garner interest once he clears waivers, with a reunion in Philadelphia seeming like the most obvious fit,” Conway wrote. “The Sixers took care of Green last offseason by using his contract as trade bait rather than waiving him to save space, and he had a strong relationship with the Philadelphia locker room.”
Green was sent from the Grizzlies to the Rockets in a salary-dumping move on Thursday. Though he’s fresh off a severe knee injury, Green still proved more than capable of contributing to a championship-aspiring team in his last stint with the Sixers.
In two seasons with Philly, Green was good for 7.8 points on 38.5% from three.
Green Drawing Significant Interest on Buyout Market
Philly isn’t the only team who makes sense for Green. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported, several contenders are eyeing the former champion.
“But Danny Green is the interesting player in Houston,” Wojnarowski said. “I’m told that he would like to be waived just like John Wall is being waived and not have to do a buyout. But Danny Green, teams like Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles, they have great interest in him.”
Though Green would be a nice rotation addition, giving Philadelphia another shooter to throw on the floor, he’s still likely not at the top of Philadelphia’s wishlist on the buyout market.
Sixers Criticized for Not Adding Big Man
Despite shedding salary (a goal) and bringing in a likely more threatening playoff player in Jalen McDaniels (also a goal), Michael Pina of The Ringer called the Sixers loser after the deadline.
Pina praised the Sixers for the McDaniels trade primarily for getting under the tax but was not a fan of what they did at the deadline because of what they didn’t get.
“Finding a backup center for Joel Embiid has always been an impossible, tortuous journey for Philadelphia. P.J. Tucker may be able to moonlight in that role for certain playoff matchups when Philly goes small and spaces the floor around James Harden. Or perhaps they find the big they need on the buyout market.”
If the season ended today, Philadelphia would be moving forward with Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell as Embiid’s backup options come playoff time.
If Embiid had LeBron James-levels of injury reliability, that might be perfectly fine. Unfortunately, Embiid is a chronic injury threat, especially in the playoffs.
Philadelphia went through the same problem just one year ago, though instead of Montrezl Harrell, it was DeAndre Jordan. The result? An unmitigated disaster.
At a minimum, the Sixers should be scouring the market for another backup center, unless the ghosts of playoff pasts want to come back and haunt Philadelphia.