Goran Dragic (Photo : Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings are two of the several teams possibly looking to upgrade their backcourt before the February 2017 trade deadline.
The 76ers and Kings are two of the teams that may consider adding a point guard before the deadline. Philadelphia is in desperate need of adding a point guard, with the team having a very thin and ineffective rotation of playmakers. Likewise, the Kings could need some backcourt help to further boost their chances of competing in the playoffs.
Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders listed the point guards that could be available in the trade market. Among the names included in Scotto's list are Miami Heat's Goran Dragic and Phoenix Suns' Brandon Knight, who could emerge as potential trade targets for teams like the 76ers and Kings.
Knight has been relegated to the second unit this season after Eric Bledsoe returned from a knee injury. But apparently, Knight's new role off the bench has taken his offensive rhythm, averaging career-lows in shooting percentage (38.6 percent) from the field.
On the other hand, Dragic is playing his best season with the Heat, scoring 19.2 points per game this season, while shooting 45.1 percent from the field, including 41.7 from beyond the arc. However, many still expect Miami to move Dragic before the deadline, with the Heat looking to rebuild after seeing the end of the "Big Three" era in South Beach.
It is unclear which teams would have interest in Dragic and Knight, but the 76ers and Kings could take a hard look at exploring a deal for the aforementioned point guards.
Philadelphia could attempt to acquire Knight to help ease Simmons' point guard duties once the latter makes his NBA debut. Knight would provide the 76ers spark on both ends of the floor and could be the team's top option at the point guard spot.
Meanwhile, the Kings could revisit trade talks for Dragic, who has been linked to a Rudy Gay swap in the offseason. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported that Dragic is "open to a trade" and the Heat could also be "open to offers" for the 30-year-old point guard.
There are no indications yet if the 76ers and Kings would ever consider such moves. But if players like Knight and Dragic are readily available in the market, expect both teams to explore deals for the aforementioned players.
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