1. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Considering their offseason, targeting an established point guard would not seem to be a plausible option for Colangelo and his team.
As mentioned earlier, the Sixers selected guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 overall selection of this year’s draft. In addition to the 2016 No. 1 overall selection, Ben Simmons, and offseason addition J.J. Redick, the Sixers’ perimeter firepower suddenly appears of capable of challenging some of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.
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But a player of the caliber of Irving simply doesn’t become available every day of the week. A four-time All-Star, 2016 NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, Irving is still just 25 and has yet to reach his prime.
His numbers last season, on the offensive end anyway, were outstanding. He posted 25.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, while shooting 47.3 percent rom the field and 40.1 percent from behind the three-point line.
The challenging part on behalf of the Sixers would be deciding whom to part with in any potential transaction. Perimeter defense is one area of concern for the Cavaliers, and Sixers forward Robert Covington would be a welcome addition.
Like the aforementioned deals, Dario Saric would also need to be sacrificed, providing the Cavaliers with an additional threat on the frontline, which is currently thin behind LeBron James and Kevin Love.
The deciding factor would need to be which potential star the Sixers moved on from, Ben Simmons or Markelle Fultz. If the Cavaliers are to grant Irving his wish to play elsewhere, they are going to want to receive at least one elite young talent.
Considering both have yet to make their NBA debut, this makes the decision all the more difficult. And despite all their efforts to obtain him this offseason, including Fultz in the deal makes the most for both sides of the equation.
For the Cavaliers, James needs to be surrounded by shooters. While he hasn’t stepped foot on an NBA floor, early indications are that Fultz’s perimeter game will be far superior to Simmons’ in the upcoming season.
For the Sixers, a core of Irving, Embiid and Simmons moving forward would simply be a sight to behold. While the transaction leaves the Sixers somewhat thin on the frontline, obtaining a proven All-Star such as Irving is simply something that can’t be ignored.
Due to just recently signing his rookie contract, Fultz is not eligible to be traded until Aug. 7.
Next: 5 teams that should make a trade offer for Kyrie Irving
While the risk in breaking up a young core is extreme for a team’s mentality, a talent such as Irving is just too tantalizing to dismiss. If the Sixers have the opportunity in the coming weeks to propose a trade to the Cavaliers, they should jump at it with both hands.