Sixers: 3 Names to Keep an Eye on as Buyout Market Forms
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With the NBA trade market officially closed for the remainder of the season, the next and final phase of the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster construction process is in the buyout market.
Before the trade deadline, the Sixers struck one deal, sending Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers and acquiring Jalen McDaniels from the Charlotte Hornets. With that move, the Sixers got under the luxury tax and now have some flexibility to sign guys in the buyout market, a factor that Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey addressed on Friday.
“Some of that flexibility that we got allows us to add multiple buyouts if they come,” said Morey. “We're actively looking at that. Nothing to announce yet, but we're actively looking at several players right now.”
So far, several players are rumored to hit the open market in the coming days. Based on what the Sixers currently need and what type of players they’ve shown interest in in the past, here are a few prospects to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Who’s Becoming Available?
Dewayne Dedmon
The Sixers were rumored to be on the hunt for another center to add to the rotation before the trade market closed. Now, they’ll have to look into the buyout market, and Dedmon could be somebody the Sixers bring in to compete with Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed. The Mechanic’s best days might be behind him, but he still has gas left in the tank and recently competed with the Miami Heat on their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
Serge Ibaka
This season, Ibaka appeared in just 16 games for the Bucks. He averaged four points and three rebounds while spending 12 minutes on the court. Just two seasons ago, Ibaka averaged 11 points and seven rebounds on the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s got plenty of playoff experience and brings championship experience to any team that needs it.
Will Barton
Not a center, but Will Barton is a name to keep an eye on, as the Sixers were reportedly showing interest in Barton in the past. The 32-year-old can play multiple positions, whether it’s in the frontcourt or the backcourt. In 40 games with the Washington Wizards this year, he averaged eight points while shooting 38 percent from deep. In his most recent playoff run with the Denver Nuggets, Barton put up 14 points per game, knocking down 39 percent of his threes on six attempts per game. You can never have enough deep threats in today’s NBA. If the Sixers want to acquire another reliable shooter, Barton will be a name to keep an eye on.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
