NBA Trade Grades: Rockets shipping James Ennis to 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

Once just a plucky team looking to build from the ground up, the Sixers have now firmly shifted into a win-now mode. However, every deal comes with a price, and it was one Philly had to pay in the form of productive bench players. That issue had plagued the team even prior to these blockbuster moves.

Granted, once the playoffs roll around, depth will matter less and less, but it’s still important to have guys you can trust if only for a few minutes at a time over the course of an important game, providing a boost and giving stars a breather.

As mentioned before, Ennis has shot well from 3-point land this season on 3.0 attempts per game, giving head coach Brett Brown a much-needed floor-spacer to benefit the likes of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Defensively, he’s no lockdown threat, but he provides good size and energy which, again, is fine for a guy likely to see a decrease in playing time suiting up his newest team.

The Sixers needed competent bench players, and Ennis is exactly that. He won’t be on the floor come crunch time, but at less than $2 million both this year and next, he’s a cheap option to fill minutes and a solid acquisition given how little Philly had to work with to fill out its bench.

Grade: B