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The Philadelphia 76ers need to bring in major changes if they are to have a healthy chance of making a deep run in the playoffs next season.
The Sixers topped the Eastern Conference standings in the 2020-21 NBA season and were the favorites to reach the Conference Finals. However, they blew a 2-1 series lead against the Atlanta Hawks, which ended their hopes of advancing to the next round.
The Philadelphia 76ers have dominated the NBA trade rumors since then. The majority of the reports have been circling Ben Simmons. Simmons did not have the best of postseason campaigns. His poor performances on the offensive end were one of the major reasons behind the Sixers' failures.
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He shot only 34% from the free-throw line in the playoffs. It was the worst record for a player with at least 70 attempts. Simmons was the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. As per NBA trade rumors, the Sixers are looking to trade him and tweak their squad in various areas.
Some of the Philadelphia 76ers' biggest needs this offseason are to acquire more frontcourt depth and a playmaking point guard who can score at an efficient rate. They also need to add more shooters who can knock down shots and provide Joel Embiid with some decent spacing to work with on offense.
On that note, let's take a look at three players the Philadelphia 76ers should trade for.
#3 Terrence Ross
The Philadelphia 76ers bench struggled to score in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, and that is one area they need to upgrade. They acquired George Hill from the OKC Thunder mid-season, but he could only contribute 4.7 points per game. He is 35 now and seems to be way past his prime to be playing on a contending team.
The Philadelphia 76ers should look to acquire Terrence Ross from the Orlando Magic to resolve their woes. Ross had a career-high season last campaign, averaging 15.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. He came off the bench in 44 of the 46 games he played for the Magic. He shot a respectable 33.7% from the three-point line on 5.7 attempts per contest.
As per NBA trade rumors, Ross is likely to be traded by the Orlando Magic in the offseason. They are moving towards a rebuild and have a stacked backcourt comprising a lot of young prospects.
The Sixers could try to include George Hill and offer draft compensation (future first-round picks) along with him to the Magic. Hill is owed roughly $10 million next season, while Ross is set to earn $12.5 million. So the salaries would match as well. Terrence Ross has two years left on his contract and would be owed a reasonable $11.5 million in the 2022-23 season.
#2 Pascal Siakam
The Philadelphia 76ers could see Danny Green depart in free agency. It will leave one of the frontcourt spots vacant alongside Tobias Harris. They have a trade chip like Ben Simmons to lure top-level talent to fill that spot. As per NBA trade rumors, the Toronto Raptors are willing to trade Pascal Siakam and are also interested in Ben Simmons.
The Philadelphia 76ers' asking price for Simmons was too high the last time the two teams were in talks. They did not include Pascal Siakam in that proposed framework. The two players have matching salaries for next season, with both set to earn $33,003,936 next year as per Spotrac.
Simmons has an extra year on his current deal, though, and the Philadelphia 76ers could ask for multiple draft picks in return. Bleacher Report recently suggested a deal that could also include Kyle Lowry as part of a Ben Simmons-Pascal Siakam trade deal.
For that to happen, Lowry will have to agree to a sign-and-trade, and the Philadelphia 76ers will have to add another player to include more outgoing salaries. George Hill could be a player that could be involved in a potential deal, as mentioned by Bleacher Report.
The Philadelphia 76ers will get a significant upgrade on Danny Green, considering Pascal Siakam has produced 20 points per game across the last two seasons. Siakam is also a decent three-point shooter. If the Sixers can acquire Lowry in this deal, it would be a bonus for them and turn them into a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
#1 CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum and Ben Simmons' trade talks have been dominating the NBA trade rumors since the Philadelphia 76ers made their exit from the playoffs. The deal just seemed too logical for both the Portland Trail Blazers and the Sixers to consider. A key reason behind that is the Sixers need reinforcements in the form of scorers and shooters, while the Trail Blazers need to improve on defense.
If the two players were to switch teams, it would be the most ideal trade scenario this offseason. Both players even have matching salaries for next season ($33 million). CJ McCollum is an All-Star caliber player that the Philadelphia 76ers can add to their roster for Simmons. They have emphasized in the past that they would only trade Simmons for an All-Star caliber player.
McCollum has averaged at least 20 points per game for six consecutive seasons. He has shot 40% from the three-point line on 5.6 attempts per game throughout his career. This is definitely something the Philadelphia 76ers' offense can benefit from.
