The Philadelphia 76ers are a team to watch as the March 25th NBA Trade Deadline approaches. They head into the All-Star break as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but have been mentioned multiple times on the NBA rumor mill. One player to keep a close eye on is Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker.
The biggest trade that has been discussed involving the 76ers involves the Toronto Raptors and Kyle Lowry. Lowry, a Philadelphia native, reportedly wants to land with the 76ers and the feeling is mutual. Acquiring him would put the 76ers nearly on par with the “Big Three” the Brooklyn Nets have.
Matisse Thybulle is also a name to watch on the trade market. People around the league believe he could fetch Philadelphia a lottery pick if they make him available. Given the win-now mode the 76ers are in, a lottery pick probably won’t be what they aim for, but that could be flipped as part of a bigger deal for someone such as Lowry.
Another name to watch is Houston Rockets forward, P.J. Tucker. The Rockets are entering a rebuild and could be busy in the coming weeks. In addition to Tucker, Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon could also be on the move before the deadline.
Of the three, Tucker seems likeliest to be on the move. Whether it is via trade or buyout, the 76ers are where several NBA executives expect him to end up.
At 35 years old and on an expiring deal, the Rockets should look to get whatever they can for Tucker as the chances of him re-signing in Houston this offseason are essentially zero.
The 76ers will have some stiff competition for Tucker. They weren’t even among the contenders reportedly interested in trading for Tucker. The Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers were the reported teams.
It would not be a surprise if a bidding war broke out over PJ Tucker. His skill set is one that any contender would love to add to their roster as a 3-and-D wing that can play any front-court spot.
