The Sixers could target Saddiq Bey
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Sixers could target Saddiq Bey
Daryl Morey will likely need to get creative as he looks to shore up the Philadelphia 76ers roster this summer. The Sixers’ roster is limited in terms of tradable assets and available cap space.
Nevertheless, there are clear areas in need of improvement. In a May 31 article, Adam Aaronson of the Philadelphia Voice proposed a trade that could add some much-needed floor spacing to the Sixers’ bench.
The proposed trade looks like this:
Sixers Get:Saddiq Bey, 40th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
Washington Wizards Get:Andre Drummond, Ricky Council IV, 35th pick in 2025 NBA Draft and their 2030 2nd-round pick back.
“The Wizards signed Bey, 26, to a three-year, $19 million contract before last season, knowing he would miss the entire year after tearing his ACL late in the prior season. It was a below-market deal relative to Bey’s age and production,” Aaronson wrote. “Bey is a flawed player, but there is no denying his skill. He is one of the higher-volume three-point shooters in the entire NBA, with an impressive 10.2 long-range tries per 100 possessions over the course of his career…Perhaps the Sixers can make a relatively low-risk move on Bey at the cost of Council, a distant second-rounder and a very minor move down the board in the second round.”
Bey has shot the rock at a 35.2% clip throughout his 292 NBA games. At 26 years old, he has plenty of time to continue improving his game and should be well-positioned to bounce back from what was undoubtedly a serious injury.
The Sixers would be buying low on Bey. However, he is likely going to be motivated to prove himself this season, and that’s exactly the type of player the Sixers need.
Sixers Need Front Court Additions
Adding Bey would also go a long way to addressing the lack of talent within the Sixers front court rotation. He would improve Nick Nurse’s choices off the bench, while also adding scoring and size.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley pointed out the Sixers’ lack of front court depth as an area that urgently needs attention.
“The need for reliable reserves behind Joel Embiid is obvious given his ongoing availability issues, and they’ll be magnified if Andre Drummond declines his $5 million player option to head elsewhere,” Buckley wrote. “And while the Sixers hope to bring Guerschon Yabusele back, his unrestricted free agency could get pricey.”
Adding Bey alone may not be enough to solve the Sixers’ lack of depth. However, it would undoubtedly be a strong start.
Paul George Admits Frustration With Sixers Debut
A significant reason front-court depth is crucial for the Sixers is the roster’s injury issues. Paul George struggled to remain healthy during his debut year with the franchise.
In a recent episode of his “Podcast P with Paul George,” the veteran All-Star shared his frustrations over a difficult debut season for the Sixers.
“I came in healthy,” George said. “I didn’t have any hiccups; I spent the whole offseason working on my body, getting healthy. Then I get to Philly. Preseason, I get hurt…I didn’t have my burst. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t pin what it was…So I started taking medicine to numb it up. Then I had an injury I didn’t even know about. That’s when I found out I had a torn adductor. That whole time, I just couldn’t move.”
Sixers fans will undoubtedly be hoping George can remain healthy next season. If both he and Joel Embiid are mainstays in the rotation, Philadelphia could take advantage of a weakened Eastern Conference.