5 Made-Up Sixers Trades
Made-up trade wizard @Giles1228 contributed to this post.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The NBA trade deadline is just 13 days away and the Sixers are one of the most intriguing teams in the league.
Related: 25 Potential Trade Targets For The 76ers
With the league's most cap space, a logjam of young centers, and a promising future, is this the time for the Sixers to make a move?
Here are five made-up trades we put together using the ESPN trade machine, that could make sense for Bryan Colangelo and the Sixers.
5. A Four-Team Trade!
Sixers get: Tyler Zeller (from Celtics) and top-3 protected pick in 2017 (from Mavericks)
Celtics get: Andrew Bogut (from Mavericks)
Mavericks get: Andre Drummond (from Pistons)
Pistons get: Jahlil Okafor (from Sixers), J.J. Barea (from Mavericks), Seth Curry (from Mavericks), Justin Anderson (Mavericks), and a 2nd round pick (from Celtics)
The Sixers are basically giving up Jahlil Okafor for a top-3 protected pick next season from the Mavericks, who are 21-32. Okafor goes to the Pistons, a team with multiple three-point shooters. This would be a great haul for Okafor. The Mavericks get the best player in the deal, a 23-year-old all-star center in Andre Drummond.
4. C.J. McCollum
Sixers get: C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard, and Noah Vonleh
Trail Blazers get: 2017 first-round pick from Lakers (top-3 protected), Sergio Rodriguez, Nerlens Noel, Dario Saric, and Nik Stauskas.
The Sixers land a big-time combo guard in McCollum, who is averaging 23.5 points with a 55.6 effective field-goal percentage. McCollum, just 25, will be able to play alongside Ben Simmons for years to come. They also get underachieving 21-year-old former lottery pick, Noah Vonleh.
But it certainly doesn't come cheap, as the Sixers not only absorb the (4/$41M) contract of Meyers Leonard, they have to part ways with Noel, El Chacho, Sauce, and gulp -- The Homie.
If the Sixers can somehow do this deal without giving up Saric, that would be ideal.
3. Three-Team Trade
Sixers get: Ian Mahinimi (from Wizards) and Otto Porter Jr. (from Wizards)
Kings get: Pick swap rights back from the Sixers, Sergio Rodriguez (from Sixers), Jahlil Okafor (from Sixers), Andrew Nicholson (from Wizards), and 2017 first-round pick (from the Wizards)
Wizards get: DeMarcus Cousins (from Kings) and Nik Stauskas (from Sixers)
This trade may seem unlikely because the Kings have publicly said they will not trade Cousins, but let's be honest -- teams lie all the time. This trade pairs the best player in the deal -- Cousins -- with his college teammate John Wall.
For the Sixers, they make out like bandits getting a 23-year-old wing scorer in Porter. He's averaging 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting a career best 46.4-percent from three-point range this season. All the Sixers have to give up his Stauskas, Rodriguez, Okafor, and their pick swap rights.
For Cousins, the Kings get their pick swap rights back, a first-round pick from Washington, and a young center in Jahlil Okafor. Would that be enough for the Kings?
2. Noel To Hometown Celtics
Sixers get: Terry Rozier, Demetrius Jackson, 2019 first-round pick (from the Grizzlies)
Celtics get: Nerlens Noel
The Sixers may not want to pay Noel, who has been repeatedly linked to his hometown team, the C's. In return, they get 22-year-old Rozier -- the 16th overall pick in 2015 -- who is playing just 17.9 minutes per game in Boston. They also get another young guard in Demetrius Jackson, who can't get on the court in Boston.
Noel would be a useful rim protector for the Celtics' playoff run.
1. Jimmy Butler
Sixers get: Jimmy Butler
Bulls get: Nerlens Noel, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, 2017 first-round pick from Lakers (top-3 protected), and 2019 first-round pick from Kings (unprotected)
Would it be enough? The Bulls are a disappointing 26-27 after adding Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo and they need to do something. Butler, 27, is an unhappy star and it may be in Chicago's best interest to start over.
For the three-time all-star, the Bulls will get back two first-round picks over the next three drafts, and three good young players from Philly.
