Jahlil Okafor (Photo : Getty Images Sport)
Brandon Ingram (Photo : Getty Images/Sean M. Haffey)
The Philadelphia 76ers are still connected to NBA trade rumors and an article from a veteran NBA.com reporter gives valuable clues on what the Sixers may be planning.
From David Aldridge's column Morning Tip, here are some very revealing nuggets about the Philadelphia 76ers who are unlikely to keep the title of the NBA's worst team next season.
Philly will Keep The No.1 Pick
According to Aldridge, "the 76ers didn't get three of the top 11 picks, as they could have, but they got the top pick. They will not trade it."
There are talks about the Sixers trading for a veteran, specifically a point guard, but it seems clear that they wanted to be in this year's draft. Perhaps not just for Simmons, because "both Simmons and Ingram, according to sources, are fine with going No. 1 to Philly." But it does not end there.
The Sixers Want Both Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram
Sixers coach Brett Brown coached Ben Simmons' father, Dave Simmons in Australia. The Sixers' Colangelo connection with Team USA gives them an inside track to Coach K's ward, Brandon Ingram.
The team will have to make a choice, as "Simmons and Ingram, the Sixers believe, are 'blue-chip people,' one source said, who are both well-known already inside the organization." There can be only one, because the Lakers hold the no.2 pick.
The Lakers could play a role
Speaking of the Lakers, Aldridge mentioned that team's need for a big man, quoting GM Mitch Kupchak: "We need a big. Jordan [Clarkson] is a free agent and we'd like to sign him. D'Angelo [Russell], we're very high on, and we have Lou Williams. I think we're more set in the backcourt than the frontcourt. Two days after the Lottery, that's where we are. In six weeks, we'll see."
Just so happens that the Sixers have a lot of what the Lakers need. The Sixers could theoretically trade one of their centers to the Lakers is they really want no.2. The question is, which center would they trade?
The Sixers would rather keep Nerlens Noel than Jahlil Okafor
Simmons is a four, and because they have two centers, the Sixers were already playing Okafor at the power forward spot. The team also has Dario Saric incoming. Aldridge had this revealing tidbit.
"Taking Simmons wouldn't make sense unless they were determined to trade Okafor, whose up and down rookie season hasn't adversely affected his value around the league. And trading Okafor would be the easiest and best way for Philly to get another high first-round pick, which the Sixers covet."
Aldridge revealed that the Sixers brass value Nerlens Noel's defense. "There is strong support within the organization for Nerlens Noel, who provides defense and rebounding that none of Philly's other bigs provide."
Playing Okafor and Noel together yielded "terrible results" but keeping Noel could allow the Sixers to have another offense-oriented big man (could be Embiid).
Sixers team site Liberty Ballers also named Okafor as the most likely "trade candidate." He would merit the best return among their bigs.
If the Sixers want the no.2 pick to get both Simmons and Ingram, they could trade Okafor to the Lakers. The Lakers, in turn could possibly ask for more protections on their 2017 first round pick (owed to Philadelphia, top 3 protected). If this seems too steep, the Lakers could throw in Lou Williams to add veteran presence to the Sixers backcourt.
Both Simmons and Ingram would fit in Philly and the Lakers are in the running for several free agent wingmen (DeMar DeRozan, Harrison Barnes for instance) so losing Ingram would be acceptable if it could get them Okafor who fills the hole at center.
These proposed transactions are still just speculation based on Aldridge's report.
