While divisions in the NBA may not matter as much as the NFL or MLB, the Philadelphia 76ers are faced with great threats within the Atlantic.
The division is also home to the reigning champion Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, along with the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks and Sixers had two of the league’s most productive summers but could compete for a final star.
New York is in rumored discussion to trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, but FanSided’s Christopher Kline believes Philadelphia could steal him away.
“The rare DPOY winner on the perimeter, Smart would just make the Knicks a tougher out. So, what if the Sixers take the plunge instead?” Kline wrote. “Philadelphia has the salaries to match and enough draft capital to pique Memphis' interest. It's unclear why the Grizzlies would be inclined to trade Smart at this juncture, but as a midseason target should Memphis start slow, Smart is sure to drum up a market.”
As Kline noted, Smart’s availability is largely contingent on the Grizzlies’ success to start the year. If the backcourt of he and Ja Morant do not mesh as expected, Smart is the one on the move.
“Smart would become an instant fan favorite in Philadelphia,” Kline wrote. “The 3s fall often enough to keep him useful on offense, especially with his improvement as a playmaker in recent years. His defense, however, is the calling card. Smart can adequately defend 1-5 in a lot of matchups and he's going to generate turnovers with his activity level and physicality at the point of attack.”
With Smart earning an average salary of roughly $20 million, the Sixers would need to part with significant depth to acquire him.
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