Philadelphia 76ers Trade Rumors: 3 things to expect from the Sixers ahead of the trade deadline

After losing to the Boston Celtics in the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers embarked on one of the worst runs in NBA history. The Sixers failed to post a winning record in five consecutive seasons, and the fans often voiced their anger at how the franchise was being run. The Sixers also arguably reached the worst point in franchise history in 2016, as the team finished the campaign with a 10-72 record.

Nevertheless, the fans who trusted the process have finally been rewarded, as the Sixers boast an exciting roster that includes Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The team is also coming off of the 17/18 season where the team returned to the playoffs, and the Sixers are currently battling for homecourt advantage ahead of the 2019 postseason.

Despite this, the Sixers still look somewhat short when compared to the Toronto Raptors and the best teams in the West, and the team is expected to be active in the final days of the trade window. So with the trade deadline quickly approaching, here we will look at three moves that the 76ers could make.

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#3 Sixers add much-needed depth to the roster

Orlando Magic v Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers currently have an extremely strong core of Simmons, Embiid, and Butler, however, the team desperately needs to add depth to the roster. Philadelphia gave up a lot in the trade that bought Jimmy Butler to the team, and the current roster is especially in need of both a backup center and a reliable shooter.

Evidently, the Sixers need to take on players with reasonable contract's and individuals such as Wayne Ellington and Terrence Ross fit the bill in terms of shooters. In regards to a center, the Sixers could consider the likes of Nerlens Noel and Dewayne Dedmon, and the added depth to the roster should help the team during potentially lengthy playoff series against the Raptors and Celtics.

#2 No buyers for Markelle Fultz

New Orleans Pelicans v Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers took Markelle Fultz with the first overall pick of the 2017 draft, and the franchise expected him to become the team's third star alongside fellow youngsters Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. While Embiid and Simmons have lived up to the hype, injuries have so far limited Fultz to less than 40 appearances in a Philadelphia uniform.

Reports emerged back in December that the Sixers were desperate to trade the point guard away, however, the 20-year-old's value is currently at an all-time low, and the Sixers are not going to be willing to trade away the point guard for virtually nothing in return.

This means that Fultz will most likely continue to recover from his injury as a member of the Sixers, however, even if Fultz returns from injury this season, he is unlikely to play a major role on the court.

#1 Jimmy Butler will remain with the Sixers

Philadelphia 76ers v Indiana Pacers

It was only back in November that Jimmy Butler signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 29-year-old was traded to the team alongside Justin Patton, in exchange for Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Dario Saric and a 2022 second round pick. Butler has performed well in his time with the Sixers, averaging 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists-per-game, however, Butler has been linked with a surprise trade away from the Sixers.

The trade rumors have stemmed from reports that Butler has already upset the Sixers management, however, after desperately pursuing Butler in the early part of the season, it is extremely unlikely that the team will let him go after just a few months. The Sixers clearly believe that they can compete in a weakened Eastern conference this season, and Sixers fans can be fully confident that Butler will be part of their 2019 postseason run.