Updated: 12 p.m.
In case you missed it, the Sixers on early Thursday morning acquired Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for three second-round picks, a team source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
GM Elton Brand did well to address needs for shot creation, shot making and bench scoring without surrendering much of value.
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SIGN UP HERE But with Burks and Robinson coming aboard and the Sixers’ roster already full at 15 players — not including their two two-way players — other moves must be made to clear space. Given that they didn’t use their better assets, another upgrade isn’t out of the question. There’s also the Norvel Pelle situation to consider.
As the 3 p.m. deadline draws closer, here’s some of the fallout from the trade:
Somebody has to go
Before the deal can become official, the Sixers will have to make another move or two to clear two roster spots. Instead of just waiving players, Brand will likely hold out to see if he can get some form of value.
The candidates seem obvious. Kyle O’Quinn, Raul Neto and Trey Burke are all on veteran minimum deals and have seen their roles fluctuate from spot minutes to non-existent.
Those three players are not at shootaround with the team, according to reporters in Milwaukee.
As Pelle emerged, Brett Brown elected to play him over the veteran O’Quinn. It’s not that O’Quinn has necessarily played poorly this season. Pelle is just a better fit for today’s modern NBA as a rim-running center that will block shots and catch lobs. O’Quinn might have appeal to someone — say a team like the Rockets, who don’t have a center other than 37-year-old Tyson Chandler right now.
Neto and Burke have been used intermittently all season. Burke appears to be the more valuable player to the Sixers with his ability to create off the dribble. It’s hard to imagine either player factoring into the playoff rotation because of their defensive limitations. Brown used Josh Richardson as a backup one earlier this season and may go back to that on the rare occasion Ben Simmons leaves the floor in the playoffs.
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Realistically, the Sixers would do well to recoup a late second-round pick for any of these players.
The assets left
There were multiple reports that said the Sixers’ lack of assets could be a problem. That makes what Brand did in getting Burks and Robinson more impressive. Still, the better assets the Sixers actually do have remain.
Zhaire Smith, a 2018 first-round pick, is still just 20 years old. He hasn’t played consistently at the NBA level, but perhaps another team will see an opportunity to buy low on a super athletic guard that could turn into a 3-and-D type. His cap hit is also in a sweet spot for a trade.
Jonah Bolden fits into a similar realm. He showed flashes last season playing as a backup five but is better suited as an NBA four. He’s an NBA player — how good of one, nobody knows. He just turned 24 and also has 3-and-D potential for a future team.
As far as draft picks, the Sixers very likely don’t have a first-round pick in 2020 because of the Tobias Harris trade last season. Per the Stepien Rule, which states you cannot trade first-round picks in consecutive seasons, they can’t move their 2021 pick. The best the Sixers can offer is their 2022 first-rounder.
They also still have all their premium second-round picks, including the Atlanta Hawks’ in 2020.
What about Pelle?
When a player is on a two-way deal, they’re allowed 45 days to spend with their NBA team. Pelle has reached that number and is stashed in Delaware. The Sixers would have to open a third roster spot to accommodate Pelle.
The team made the decision to keep Pelle in the G League largely because they wanted to maintain flexibility through the trade deadline, per a team source. With 3 p.m. quickly approaching, we could get more clarity on Pelle’s situation.
Tune in to the NBA Trade Deadline Show on the NBC Sports MyTeams app Thursday at 2:30 for analysis of all the important moves around the NBA.