Sixers Trade Rumors: Could We See A Process Reunion?

By Kevin McCormick, Sports Talk Philly Editor

We are closing in on the end of trade season in the NBA, as the February 6th deadline is just under two weeks away. Although the Sixers have yet to make a move yet the team has been tied to multiple trade targets. Here is a breakdown of three potential targets that the Sixers have been tied to.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings 

Bogdanovic is a name that has been thrown around all season as there is a good chance that the Kings move him before the deadline. In terms of fit and what the team needs right now, Bogdanovic should be a top target for the Sixers right now. 

Right now Bogdanovic is averaging 14.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.5 APGbon the season. On top of that, he is shooting 37.6 from three. His skill-set is what the team needs to upgrade. He is a ball-handling guard who can create his own shot and can knock down shots from deep consistently. Acquiring Bogdan would drastically upgrade this Sixers bench. 

Another thing that makes Bogdanovic a favorable trade target is his deal. His 8.5 million dollars owed this season will make it easy for the Sixers to salary match in a potential deal. The Sixers could also retain Bogdanovic if they wanted to, as he has a 10.6 million dollar qualifying offer the team could match. 

Bogdanovic is arguably the best player the Sixers could acquire at the deadline based on fit. He can be a solidified sixth man and proven scorer off the bench. He is the kind of guard this team will need off the bench to fill out the playoff rotation.

Danilo Gallinari, Oklahoma City Thunder   

The Sixers have been reported of showing interest in Gallinari, but acquiring the OKC forward is going to be tough. 

Adding another scorer like Gallinari could be big for the Sixers. He is currently averaging 19.0 PPG and shooting just under 41% from three. On top of that, he is serviceable on the defensive end so he could also fit in with the image of this team. 

Gallinari could be another scorer on the wing who can create their own shot in small samples and be a consistent go-to option from deep. But I do not see this deal happening. 

He is in the final year of his contract and is making 22.6 million dollars this season. This might be too high of a price tag for the Sixers to match salary-wise. To match that salary it would have to involve trade a core piece like Josh Richardson or Al Horford. 

 This is a trade that I do not see happening. Gallinari is a good player and would provide a nice boost to this Sixers roster, but I don’t see Elton Brand trading away a key piece that under contract for a player that would be a rental.

Robert Covington, Minnesota Timberwolves 

The last player on the list is a familiar face. Reports have come out that the Sixers are one of the teams in the mix to acquire Covington from the Timberwolves. 

Although this would be a nice feel-good moment for Sixers fans, the Sixers might be better off exploring other avenues with their trade assets. 

Covington is having a good season and is on a favorable deal in terms of salary matching to acquire him, but his skill-set isn’t really what the team needs at the moment. 

The Sixers need scorers who are good at creating their own shots, and Covington would just be another catch and shoot three-point shooter to throw out on the wing. 

Adding Covington would make the Sixers' defense even stronger. But with Ben Simmons becoming a top defender in the league, and the Sixers adding guys like Josh Richardson and Matisse Thybulle there isn’t a necessity to go and get a defender like Covington.

Elton Brand has a couple of different avenues he can go to bolster this roster before the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if he does small below the radar moves, or tries to go out and make a big splash like he did last year.