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Teams lining up to talk trade with Hinkie

ORLANDO - This is the NBA's silly season, when trade rumors fly. As expected, 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie is the most popular guy at the Orlando Pro Summer League. That's what happens when your club is $30 million under the salary cap and teams looking to shed salaries are lining up to make trade offers.

76ers general manager Sam Hinkie. (Matt Slocum/AP)
76ers general manager Sam Hinkie. (Matt Slocum/AP)Read more

ORLANDO - This is the NBA's silly season, when trade rumors fly.

As expected, 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie is the most popular guy at the Orlando Pro Summer League. That's what happens when your club is $30 million under the salary cap and teams looking to shed salaries are lining up to make trade offers.

"This time of year, there are way more [offers] leaked than real, and way more postured by one team or another than there's any legs to," Hinkie said Tuesday before the Sixers' 92-71 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Amway Center practice court. "We are involved in a lot of conversations. We are not involved in as many as has been reported."

The Sixers have received phone calls from just about every team in the league. The most buzz surrounds the report that the team was discussing a trade for Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin.

The Rockets want to unload Lin's salary to have enough money to pursue free agents Chris Bosh or Carmelo Anthony. The Sixers are said to want a future first-round pick from the Rockets for taking Lin's salary off their hands.

Hinkie would not confirm or deny the report.

"There's a lot of stories out there," he said. "Hundreds. Some have some legs and some don't. You'll never know until they happen. . . . So we will see how things check out in the next several weeks."

Hinkie said he isn't concerned that acquiring a high-profile point guard would destroy the confidence of reigning rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams. The Sixers point guard already has dealt with draft-day trade rumors.

Hinkie said that the focus is only on moving the franchise forward and that Sixers players know where they stand with the team.

"I'm not worried about any situation setting us back," Hinkie said. "If we think it will set us back, we won't do it."

Hinkie said he sees Carter-Williams as the team's point guard of the future.

Summer-league win

Casper Ware led the Sixers (2-1) with 16 points, four assists, and two steals. Swingman KJ McDaniels came off the bench to score 15 points. Also scoring in double figures were swingman Hollis Thompson (14) and reserve forwards JaKarr Sampson (13) and Jerami Grant (12).

Center Nerlens Noel finished with eight points, six rebounds, three blocked shots, and two steals.

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