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Inside the Sixers: Deal with Kings is Sixers' latest talent upgrade

The 76ers fleeced the Sacramento Kings last week in one of the most lopsided trades in recent NBA history. They acquired the shooter they coveted in Nik Stauskas, two veteran post players in Jason Thompson and Carl Landry, a 2018 protected first-round pick and the option to swap 2016 and 2017 first-rounders, all in exchange for recent second-round acquisitions Arturas Gudaitis (47th overall) and Luka Mitrovic (60th).

The 76ers fleeced the Sacramento Kings last week in one of the most lopsided trades in recent NBA history.

They acquired the shooter they coveted in Nik Stauskas, two veteran post players in Jason Thompson and Carl Landry, a 2018 protected first-round pick and the option to swap 2016 and 2017 first-rounders, all in exchange for recent second-round acquisitions Arturas Gudaitis (47th overall) and Luka Mitrovic (60th).

For the Sixers, this was an example of the next step in the rebuilding process being the same as the previous one and the one before that.

The next step is "just to continue to add talent," general manager Sam Hinkie said. "The draft is a big night for that. It's not the only one. The summer has the possibilities in trades and other ways. But our goal is: How do we keep adding talent to this group?

"We added talent in the past in big chunks on draft night and smaller chunks during free agency with the Robert Covingtons of the world. But we need to keep doing that."

Heading into the third season of the rebuilding process, Hinkie is still big on trying to develop players he believes can fit into the team's long-term plans. Part of that development involves evaluating them in new situations. The best way to do that is to acquire them to see what they'll do up close in the Sixers' team setting.

It didn't shock anyone that the franchise went after Stauskas, the eighth overall pick in the 2014 draft.

Disappointing would be the best way to describe his rookie campaign in Sacramento. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard couldn't get off the struggling Kings' bench despite being regarded as a great shooter coming out of Michigan.

During those times when Stauskas did get off the bench, the Canadian player struggled mightily until late in the season. He averaged 4.4 points, shot 36.5 percent from the field and made 48 of 149 three-pointers. However, 24 of his three-pointers, on 57 attempts, came after March 1.

One should always be a little wary of late-season statistics on bad teams. Even so, Stauskas definitely merits a look from the Sixers.

He is scheduled to make $2.8 million this season in the second year of his rookie contract. The Sixers will have team options of $2.9 million and $3.8 million for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

So financially, this was a good decision.

On paper, Stauskas has the potential to fill a glaring need in the backcourt. This could be remembered as one of Hinkie's best trades if Stauskas produces. If not, the Sixers may decide not to exercise the 2017-18 team option. But it would still be a win-win situation based on getting the Kings' future protected top-10 pick.

The Sixers intend to keep Landry and South Jersey's Thompson as veteran post players. They could become role models for young players Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid.

The duo will be looked upon as the veteran leaders that Thaddeus Young was two seasons ago and Luc Mbah a Moute and Jason Richardson were last season during the tanking campaigns.

In reality, nothing has changed in the Sixers' pursuit of identifying talent. The biggest difference is that the roster might not go through as many overhauls as the last two seasons, when 48 players saw action.

The team will continue to look for talented players, but primarily at the back end of the roster. So whoever the Sixers' 15th man is at the start of the season, he'll probably be replaced by several people by season's end.

This is the latest step in a lengthy rebuilding process.

@PompeyOnSixers

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