Philadelphia 76ers: 8 ways to make the 2019 NBA Finals

5. Chandler and Muscala fill a void

In the wake of disappointment that followed the 76ers missing out on LeBron and Kawhi, the acquisitions of two very good NBA veterans to the roster happened with little fanfare.

But the trade to get Wilson Chandler from the Denver Nuggets and signing of former Atlanta Hawk Mike Muscala are crucial if the 76ers hope to make the next step in 2018-19.

The 76ers had a hole in the rotation when free agent shooting guard Marco Belinelli returned to his former team, the San Antonio Spurs. And forward Ersan Ilyasova, also a free agent, was signed by his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Sixers picked up both players in late February waivers the Atlanta Hawks, a team that wanted to play more young players (*cough* tank).

When Belinelli and Ilyasova joined the Sixers, the team went 23-5 to close out the 2017-18 regular season. Both stretched the floor and provided a scoring spark off the bench.

Since the 76ers were able to sign the two to bargain buyout contracts, the team could not afford to keep them. The Sixers are hoping Chandler and Muscala can fill the void.

Neither Chandler or Muscala can shoot the ball like Belinelli, but both are above average and on par with Ilyasova.  And Chandler and Muscala are far superior defensive players and rebounders that either Belinelli or Ilyasova.

Chandler is the best player of the four and started for Denver last season. He is in his eleventh season and the 76ers acquired him for a steal. If the 31-year-old hasn’t lost too much, he could be the 76ers most important pick up of the off season.