Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Bill Streicher
The Sixers didn't wow anyone with their activity leading up to the trade deadline, leading you to wonder if their plans are more for the future than the present.
In any case, they followed Wednesday's trade of Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder by dealing seldom-used veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies for the rights to 6-foot-7 guard Justinian Jessup and a second-round pick swap in 2032. Jessup was drafted in the second round, 51st overall, by the Golden State Warriors in 2020, and most recently played in the EuroLeague.
The team is expected to sign Dominick Barlow to a standard contract.
A little over a week ago, Joel Embiid said in anticipation of the trade deadline: "I hope we get a chance to just go out and compete, because we've got a good group of guys in this locker room. The vibes are great. Like I said, in the past we've been, I guess, ducking the tax. So, hopefully we think about improving, because I think we have a chance."
Not sure if they improved anything, except staying beneath the Luxury Tax Threshold, which is around $187.9 million.
In trading the second-year McCain, the Sixers received Houston's first-round pick for 2026 and three second-round picks. That's a decent haul for a player that, when broken down to reality, was the fourth guard on a team that plays it's starting guards in Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe 35-40 minutes a game on average.
The team can sign Barlow, and Jabari Walker, to standard contracts as both are currently on two-way deals. Still, the team is lacking the depth that many thought they'd address at this deadline.
With McCain gone, should anything happen to Maxey, Edgecombe or first-sub Quentin Grimes, veteran Kyle Lowry may be forced into play and that certainly isn't something the team planned on. They will get Paul George back from his 25-game suspension in late March, and until then, they will have to man his absence with the likes of Barlow, Adem Bona, Parker, Trendon Watford and Andre Drummond.
At a time when the team has won five games in a row behind a rounding-into-form Embiid, these moves certainly aren't anything that are going to excite the fan base.
Additionally, the team announced they have signed Charles Bassey to a second 10-day contract. In two games with the Delaware Blue Coats, the 6-foot-10 Bassey averaged 22 points and 16.5 rebounds.
By signing Bassey, the Sixers will be able to use Barlow in Thursday's game against the Lakers. The addition of Bassey fills a roster spot and allows the team to use Barlow on his two-way deal, which has 10 games remaining.
