What The Sixers Did On Trade Deadline Day, And What It Means
By Andrew Porter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A running diary of the moves the Sixers made on Thursday, and what they may mean.
*Times are approximate
9:50am
Sixers trade - Spencer Hawes to Cleveland
Sixers get - Earl Clark, Henry Sims, and two second round picks in 2014 draft (one from Cavs, one from Memphis)
Analysis: Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and Sims is on a non-guaranteed deal, so he's all but gone in the off-season, just as Hawes would have been. The Sixers later released Clark, so basically they got two second round picks in the 2014 draft for nothing and saved a little bit of money.
At this point, the Sixers had five second round picks, to go along with their two first round selections in the 2014 draft.
11:30am
Sixers trade - basically nothing (a top 55 protected 2nd round pick)
Sixers get - Eric Maynor (from Washington), 2015 second round pick (from New Orleans via Washington), and a 2016 second round pick (from Denver)
Analysis: The Sixers gave up a little cap and basically, served as a facilitator for the Nuggets and Wizards to make this deal (Andre Miller for Jan Vesely). The 2015 and 2016 second round picks could essentially be used to wash out the picks they owe for Arnett Moultrie. Explained nicely here.
Maynor, who averaged 2.3 points, 1.7 assists, and 9.3 minutes per game in 23 games with the Wizards, has a player option for $2.1 million. Yeah, he'll pick that up---and hey, he's not not awful, he's a cheap backup point guard for the Sixers. Remember his run with VCU a couple of years ago?
2:30pm
Sixers trade - a conditional second round pick to LAC
Sixers get - Byron Mullens and a 2018 second round pick
Analysis: Whatever. Mullens has a player option next season for about $1 million, so he'll be on the Sixers bench for this season and next, unless Hinkie trades him. You never know with Sam the Man.
3:00pm
Sixers trade - Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen to Indiana
Sixers get - Danny Granger and Golden State's (via Indiana) 2015 second round pick
Analysis: Turner will be a restricted free-agent after this season, with a massive cap hold, and the Sixers clearly weren't going to pay him. He was gone after this season anyway, so the Sixers were actively trying to move him, and eventually they did. Granger is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, as is Lavoy Allen.
So basically the Sixers flipped expiring contracts for an expiring contract, and added another second round pick in 2015!
To sum up this deal: No one wanted Evan Turner. The Sixers really didn't want Evan Turner. Bye, bye, Evan Turner.
11:50pm
Sixers cut - Earl Clark
Overall Analysis: Sixers traded Hawes, Turner, and Allen, acquired meaningless bench guys that may or may not be here next season, piled up SIX second round picks (two in 2014, two in 2015, one in 2016, and one in 2018), plus they have a ton of cap space to play with.
Oh, and they got a lot worse this season. With 27 games to play, the Sixers have the second worst record in the NBA, 4.5 games better than the Bucks (one game in hand). The chase for last is on!
Sixers 2014 Draft Outlook:
First Round
Sixers pick - Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker
New Orleans first round pick (1-5 protected) - Rodney Hood, James Young, or Doug McDermott
While the Sixers are competing for the worst record in the NBA this year, it's fairly safe to say they should end up with a top three pick. Plus, the Sixers acquired New Orleans first round pick in the Jrue Holiday deal. That selection, however, is top five protected, meaning If New Orleans gets a top five pick they get to keep it. The Pelicans are currently 23-30 and in 12th place in the Western Conference. Presumably, their first round pick will fall in the 8-12 range, which sets up nicely for the Sixers.
With Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel as building blocks at point guard and center for this team, the Sixers will look to fill that lineup with perimeter wing guards who can score, shoot, and slash.
If available, Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, 6'8", is the perfect fit to me for the Sixers initial first round pick. Like MCW and Noel, Wiggins is long, athletic, and is a nightmare offensively and defensively for the opposition. He has tremendous upside as well.
In the 8-12 range, ideally, Rodney Hood, 6'8", would be the Sixers selection. Hood is another long, wing-guard, but his ability to shoot separates him from the rest of the wing guards in the draft. The sweet-stroking left-handed shooter is averaging 16.2 points per game for Duke this season, to go along with 2.1 three pointers made per game (44.9% 3PFG).
Could you imagine a lineup next season of MCW 6,7", Wiggins 6'8", Hood 6'8" maybe Thaddeus Young 6'8", and Noel 6'11". Long, fast, athletic, and young. #FastBreakCity
Second Round
Sixers pick
New Jersey's pick
Houston's pick
Cleveland's pick (acquired in Hawes deal)
Cleveland's pick via Memphis (acquired in Hawes deal)
The Sixers own pick and their pick from Cleveland should be near the beginning of the second round. The other three of the Sixers acquired second round selections look to be somewhere around the middle of the second round.
There's not much to analyze here, in terms of who the Sixers will select. I mean, it is February and the second round is pretty much a crap shoot. However, to people who say all of these second round picks are irrelevant because you won't find any significant pieces that late in the draft, I say, while it's rare, you can find some gems.
Recent impact players selected in round two: Mario Chalmers, DeAndre Jordan, Omer Asik, Goran Dragic, Danny Green, Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Anderson Varejao, Rashard Lewis, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, Carlos Boozer, and Manu Ginobili.
After last year's draft, I'm confident Sam Hinkie will hit on at least one of those second round picks, that is if he doesn't trade them all for another first round pick. You never know with this guy.
Current Sixers Projected Starting Lineup:
PG - Michael Carter-Williams
SG - James Anderson
SF - Hollis Thompson
PF - Thaddeus Young
C - Byron Mullens or Henry Sims or Arnett Moultrie
Andrew Porter is the Audio Roadshow Coordinator for SportsRadio WIP, editor and writer for The School Philly, and a contributor for CBS Philly. You can follow him on Twitter @And_Porter.