Now that the dust has settled after the February 8 NBA trade deadline, reports are starting to leak on which teams missed out on landing certain players.
The Philadelphia 76ers were hours away from landing former All-NBA center Andre Drummond, before the Chicago Bulls pulled out at the last moment, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Per Scotto: “The 76ers believed they had a trade done to acquire Bulls center Andre Drummond before Chicago pulled out of talks hours before the deadline, league sources told HoopsHype. The Bulls wanted three second-round picks for Drummond, league sources said.”
Scotto continued, “Drummond was considered Chicago’s top trade candidate ahead of the deadline and also drew trade offers from the Celtics and Mavericks before both organizations went in other directions.”
Drummond is averaging 10.3 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Bulls this season, who sit at 26-29 and ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
76ers Tried to Land LeBron James: Report
Drummond wasn’t the only player that the 76ers were going after. According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey called Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka in an attempt to land LeBron James.
Ultimately, there was no serious conversation about a trade, as Morrey was immediately told that James was not available.
Per the same report, Morey also “called the Phoenix Suns and asked about a trade for Durant prior to the deadline, sources said. When told no, Morey then asked about the availability of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, too. Unsurprisingly, those were rebuffed as well, sources said.”
While the 76ers missed out on several players, they were able to land Buddy Hield, who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers.
That transaction has paid early dividends for the 76ers, as Hield has averaged 22.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 7.5 assists since being acquired. On top of that, he is shooting a scorching 45% from three on 10 attempts per game. Over that period, only Steph Curry has a better three-point percentage on volume equal or higher than Hield’s.
Tyrese Maxey Heading to the All-Star Game
The 76ers currently site at 32-22, fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They will be represented this weekend at the All-Star Game by fourth-year guard Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey is having a career year for the 76ers, averaging 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He leads the 76ers in assists and is second in points, behind the injured Embiid. He has also been one of the best spot-up shooters in the league this season, generating 1.23 points per possession in such situations.
Speaking about making his first All-Star game, Maxey said “I’m gonna do a lot of talking, a lot of experiencing and then a lot of just soaking it all in, honestly. It’s my first one, hopefully, the first of many. But it means something, especially without Joel being able to represent the Sixers in the All-Star Game. So for me to be able to go out there and represent this organization, it’s a good thing and I’m very appreciative of it.”
The 2024 NBA All-Star game will be played on February 18. Maxey will also be competing in the Kia Skills Challenge.
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Sixers Tried to Trade for Former All-NBA Center Before Deadline: Report