76ers’ Latest Trade Rumors Highlight Interest in Pair of Outside Scoring Threats
As the Philadelphia 76ers attempt to navigate life without injured star Joel Embiid, the front office is contemplating a few potential moves ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The latest chatter surrounding Philadelphia is headlined by interest in adding a potential scoring threat to pair with Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield is a “known” target for the 76ers, according to Fischer. Also mentioned as a player of interest is Detroit Pistons guard Bojan Bogdanović, but Fischer highlighted two potential issues with the team’s possible pursuit of the 34-year-old.
Detroit has long shown an interest in a reunion with Tobias Harris, league sources told Yahoo Sports, but in any deal where the Sixers bring back Bogdanović, it would seem Philadelphia doesn’t want to part with Harris.
Alas, Detroit officials haven’t indicated to rival teams they’ll even be willing to move Bogdanović.
It seems more likely that a deal for Hield could come together for the 76ers ahead of Thursday’s deadline than Bogdanović, specifically due to the team’s lack of interest in moving Tobias Harris. Bogdanović has logged the second-most minutes per game of his career this season with 32.9 and has been excellent offensively, averaging 20.2 points per game on 46.8% shooting and knocking down 41.5% of his attempts from three-point range.
As for Hield, his playing time has hit its lowest mark since the 2017–18 season with the Sacramento Kings. This season also marks a personal low in minutes since joining Indiana, averaging just 25.7 per game. In turn, Hield’s decreased minutes have understandably resulted in a statistical decline across the board. The 31-year-old former No. 6 overall pick has posted averages of 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 38.2% from beyond the arc.
