Sixers Trade Landscape Shifts as Roster Becomes Prime Target for High-Stakes Deals
The onset of NBA trade season, marked by December 15, brings a wave of possibilities for teams across the league. For the Philadelphia 76ers, this date not only signifies that players who signed during the offseason are now trade-eligible but also opens the door for strategic maneuvering as they look to optimize their roster moving forward. With one open roster spot and the clock ticking, the Sixers are poised for potentially transformative decisions.
Navigating the Trade Waters
Entering this pivotal period, the Sixers find themselves with approximately $194.9 million committed to their payroll. This financial positioning places them just under $1.1 million from the $159.9 million first apron, while also maintaining a buffer of $12.9 million below the $207.8 million second apron. While the team isn’t currently hard-capped, their close proximity to the first apron necessitates a careful approach to trades.
If the Sixers were to take back more salary than they send out in any deal or utilize the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, they would become hard-capped at the first apron, limiting their flexibility. Despite this restriction, they still have access to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception, which could be utilized in various ways, from signing a free agent to converting two-way players Dominick Barlow or Jabari Walker into standard contracts.
The Roster’s Trade Eligibility
As of December 15, every player on the Sixers’ roster, except for Quentin Grimes, becomes trade-eligible. However, this process isn’t without its nuances. Players on one-year contracts who possess either Early Bird or full Bird rights hold the power to veto trades, though they can waive this right at the time of signing.
In a notable move, the Sixers secured Eric Gordon’s waiver of this right when he re-signed, increasing their trade options. Conversely, Kyle Lowry remains unlikely to be dealt due to his implicit no-trade clause. Grimes, despite being on the trading block following a summer without a long-term deal, also carries an implicit no-trade clause based on his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer. If traded, his full Bird rights would not accompany him, limiting his potential earnings with a new team.
The Sixers’ financial landscape complicates their trading strategy. With significant salaries tied up in superstars like Joel Embiid ($55.2 million), Paul George ($51.7 million), and Tyrese Maxey ($38.0 million), they struggle to find the mid-sized contracts necessary to facilitate a deal for a player like New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, who commands a salary of $25.0 million.
Timing is Everything
The NBA’s recent collective bargaining agreement introduced a critical incentive for teams to act quickly once the December 15 window opens. Under previous rules, teams acquiring a player via a salary-cap exception faced a 60-day aggregation prohibition. However, the new terms eliminate this barrier for players acquired on or before December 16, allowing them to be aggregated in trades leading up to the February 5 deadline.
This legislative shift presents the Sixers with an opportunity to fill their remaining roster spot as soon as December 16. However, the franchise has historically preferred to bide its time until the trade deadline, weighing their options carefully. Should they look to convert Barlow and/or Walker from two-way deals, filling that open spot could prove counterproductive in the long run.
While the allure of immediate action is tempting, it seems more likely that the Sixers will exercise patience, keeping their assets intact until they can make a more informed decision closer to the trade deadline. The landscape is ever-changing, and in the high-stakes world of NBA trades, maintaining flexibility could be the key to their success.
