The NBA trade rumors continue for the Philadelphia 76ers and with the resignation of GM Sam Hinkie, the team is speculated to be one of the most active teams.
It's almost a given that the Sixers will try to clear the conundrum at the center spot as news of Joel Embiid's highly anticipated debut continue to buzz. All that's missing is the official clean bill of health.
Hinkie's resignation means that "The Process" is over but the Sixers were poised to compete anyway if they won the draft. Still, the presence of Jerry Colangelo and the rumored hiring of his son, Bryan Colangelo ensures that the Sixers would no longer be losing games on purpose.
What Hinkie has left the team are assets to make a trade. ESPN writer Kevin Pelton, while refusing to call Hinkie's tenure as a success, has opined that the former GM left the Sixers in a better state than when he found them after the disastrous Andrew Bynum trade.
"Painful as they were, the past three seasons have put the 76ers much closer to building a contender than they were after the Bynum trade," Pelton wrote. "And that, more than the results on Hinkie's watch, should determine his legacy in Philadelphia."
The uncertainty on Hinkie revolves on what comes next. Will he be able to convince free agents to sign with Philadelphia after one of the worst three-season records in league history? Perhaps it's better left in Colangelo's hands.
One trade partner that the Sixers should explore dealing with is no less than the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have three stars that don't seem to fit well together. They are hoping that winning a title could solve everything, but there is a big chance they fall short.
To this end, Gary Brinson of Amico Hoops suggested that star point guard Kyrie Irving could be on the move, and if the Sixers offer Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor and a first round pick, the Cavs would consider.
Noel would be more valuable for the Cavs as he would take the place of Timofey Mozgov who would likely be overpaid somewhere else. Noel has the athleticism to keep up with the LeBron and company.
For Philadelphia, they could find the new face of the franchise in Irving-a star on and off the court.
"Irving would bring a superstar-appeal immediately back to the city. He's a tremendous talent who has shown flashes of greatness, but has also dealt with fitting into his role with the Cavaliers and has dealt with several injuries including a major knee-fracture surgery during the 2015 NBA finals," Brinson stated. "Regardless he's a former number one overall pick (2011), still only 24, and is an elite shooter and playmaker."
This is pure speculation at this point, but it does cover valid needs for both teams. Let's see how the actual offseason trade goes down.