The NBA regular season is less than two weeks away, but championship contenders should already be scoping out the trade market for final acquisitions.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, that means finding the proper support for stars Paul George and Joel Embiid, who have dealt with injuries in recent years. One name Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes suggests for the Sixers to target is Portland Trail Blazers' Deni Avdija.
He landed with the Blazers on the night of the 2024 NBA Draft.
"Avdija just arrived in Portland at the cost of a future first and the No. 14 pick, so it's hard to imagine the Blazers parting with him for picks," Hughes wrote. "But Philadelphia can offer some very tantalizing options for the two-way forward who made real gains as a shooter last season."
A great emphasis is needed on the idea that Avdija was recently acquired. If Portland was willing to part with their lottery pick to acquire the 23-year-old, why would they part with him just half a season later?
The only answer: for the right price.
Philadelphia would need to put up all of their top assets to lure him away, likely including rookie Jared McCain and multiple first-round picks. Avdija is signed on a four-year, $55 million contract, meaning the Sixers would need to match his annual $15 million salary in a deal.
Team president Daryl Morey may have purposely signed a few players to more than their consensus worth this offseason to make ends meet for a final championship push acquisition.
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