Sixers trade deadline prep: Front office looking to improve bench, either via trade or the buyout market

DENVER – Starting Corey Brewer the last three games is an example of why the 76ers are looking to add depth before the trade deadline.

Brewer is a solid 12th-year veteran, one who won an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks and two NCAA championships at Florida. The Sixers rave over his personality, leadership qualities, and his ability to frustrate opposing players.

Yet, they’re fortunate that the 32-year-old was at home playing with his two sons – not hooping – during the first three months of the season. Right now, the Sixers are depending heavily on the player they signed to consecutive 10-day contracts, starting on Jan. 15, to fill in for Jimmy Butler, who’s sideline with sprained right wrist.

Brewer averaged 23 minutes in his three games as a Sixer before Saturday night’s contest against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. So one could argue that he’s been a blessing for this squad.

“Where you end up feeling it the most is, ‘What’s your depth? What’s the depth of your team?'” coach Brett Brown said of Friday. “Elton Brand is doing aggressive work behind the scenes, trying to figure out the design of our team as the trade deadline comes up. And I’m following his lead.”

Time will tell if the Sixers are able to add much-needed depth via a trade before the Feb. 7 trade deadline. We’ll also learn if they can entice a would-be free agent to sign with them after having his contract bought out by his current team.

The Sixers benefited from doing the latter last season, signing Marco Belinelli on Feb. 12 and Ersan Ilyasova on Feb. 28 after they were both bought out by the Atlanta Hawks.

Ilysaova’s familiarity with the team and the relationship Brown developed with Belinelli between their mutual ties with the San Antonio Spurs. Brown was a longtime assistant there and Belinelli played there after he left.

Acquiring talent this time won’t be as easy.

The Hawks finished last season with the Eastern Conference’s worst record at 24-58. So getting rid of two sharpshooters in an effort to save money was an easy choice for Atlanta.

Last month, the thought was the Sixers would have serious trade and buyout options and discussions at this time once it became apparent certain teams would be eliminated from the postseason. Maybe teams will look to unload desirable players in the final year of their contracts in exchange for a sidelined Sixer Markelle Fultz and/or other assets.

However, the trade value for Fultz, who hasn’t played since Nov. 19 because of what of according to his agent, thoracic outlet syndrome, is at an all-time low.

Plus, a lot of teams are still in the postseason hunt. Teams probably won’t trade a player who can help them make a playoff push.

But things could change in the 20 days between the trade deadline and March 1, when the buyout market concludes. (March 1 is the last day teams and bought-out players can find a new squad to be eligible to compete in the postseason.)

The Sixers do have needs.

Their biggest ones are a perimeter defender and frontcourt help.

The always-positive Amir Johnson is recognized as the Sixers' best teammate. However, he’s only played in three of the team’s last 12 games before Saturday’s game against the Nuggets. Those three appearances all came in the fourth quarter of blowout wins.

So the Sixers need to add a center to back up two-time All-Star starter Joel Embiid. The team could also benefit from acquiring a power forward, preferably to start alongside Embiid. That would enable them to move Wilson Chandler to the bench, where he would provide depth. Chandler starts at power forward out of necessity following the trade that sent Dario Saric to Minnesota in November. Chandler also sees action at small forward, his natural position.

The Sixers need a reserve wing capable of making defensive stops. That’s been their Achilles heel since the start of last season. Right now, rookie Landry Shamet and Furkan Korkmaz are solid three-point shooters. However, they are having a tough time keeping players in front of them. Korkmaz especially, who has recently fallen out of the rotation.

Despite their shortcomings, the Sixers are still a solid team. They headed into Saturday’s game with the Eastern Conference’s fourth-best record of 32-17. It was the franchise’s best record through 49 games since going 36-13 during the 2000-01 season.

And they’ll probably conclude the regular season no worse than fourth since Indiana Pacers guard Victor Olapido suffered a season-ending ruptured quad tendon in his right knee on Wednesday. His absence will hurt the Pacers (32-15), who headed into Saturday’s road game at Memphis with the conference’s third-best record. So the injury could possibly set things up for the Sixers and the now-fifth-place Boston Celtics (30-18 as of Friday) to battle for the third spot.

But a roster upgrade could help the Sixers contend for the conference title.

With a mid-level exception available, the Sixers have more to offer a bought-out candidate than most teams. Playing for a winning team is also enticing.

At the moment, the Sixers are fortunate to have Brewer.

The final day of his second 10-day deal is on Feb. 3, four days before the trade deadline. The Sixers must sign him for the remainder of the season or release him.

This team has a lot to figure out.