NBA
NBA Rumors: 76ers eyeing trade for perfect 3-and-D forward
The offseason continues to rampage, and the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves at the crux of the commotion, already having managed to snag arguably one of, if not the best player available in free agency.
Thanks to Daryl Morey and the entire front office’s stroke of genius so far, the 76ers now have the makings and the stylings of a legitimate championship contender. But to compete with the best of the best, the team needs to be as invincible as possible, meaning they would have to fill out the roster with players who can address their biggest needs still on the board.
While Paul George instantly gives Philly a high-end option at the wing positions, the 76ers still lack a full-scale forward who can play the tweener role. As a result, they are rumored to be eyeing a popular name floated around in trade discourse — Dorian Finney-Smith.
Brooklyn’s fire sale should continue in the coming days or weeks. The Mikal Bridges trade already signaled that the Nets are ready to hit the reset button, and Finney-Smith is widely coveted by contenders around the league.
The 31-year-old is one of the best multipositional defenders in the NBA while being a reliable volume three-point shooter. That malleability on defense is something the 76ers absolutely covet, especially after the exit of Nicolas Batum, Tobias Harris, and Robert Covington.
With demand for his services expected to be at a high, some price gouging could be possible, meaning that the 76ers would have to stave off other offers for the veteran forward.
Should Philly secure Finney-Smith, they would have another body to throw at the likes of Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo, saving George from the exhaustive burden of taking on the opponents’ best player on defense on a nightly basis.