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Philadelphia 76ers: Grading their 2019 NBA Trade Deadline

By Alec Liebsch

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 31: Tobias Harris #34 of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the game against Michael Beasley #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers on January 31, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 31: Tobias Harris #34 of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the game against Michael Beasley #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers on January 31, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images /

As the Philadelphia 76ers enter a pivotal stretch, they’ve made franchise-altering moves to bolster the team for now and for later.

What. A. Day. While everyone with knowledge of the Philadelphia 76ers knew they had some moves to make before the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline, it was hard to predict this.

Most of the rotation got a makeover today. To help illustrate just how crazy these past few days were, let’s go in chronological order, move by move.

First off, general manager Elton Brand and his men worked deep into Tuesday night and Wednesday morning to let everyone know they were serious about this year. They acquired All-Star snub Tobias Harris, bench big Boban Marjanovic, and “The Threegional Manager” Mike Scott from the Los Angeles Clippers.

To pull it off, they shipped out Wilson Chandler, Landry Shamet, Mike Muscala, a lottery-protected 2020 first round draft pick, the unprotected 2021 first round pick (from the Miami Heat), a 2021 second-rounder and a 2023 second-rounder (both from the Detroit Pistons).

That kept fans interested all of Wednesday, anticipating the fallout moves that would come. Then Wednesday night, the Sixers took on Malachi Richardson‘s salary from the Toronto Raptors, receiving a 2022 second-rounder for their services.

On Thursday, things got really interesting. The Sixers traded swap rights for their 2021 second round pick to the Houston Rockets in exchange for 3-and-D wing James Ennis, filling a bench need while keeping the asset cupboard intact.

Then they got back picks in a deal with the Orlando Magic, merely for the ghost of Markelle Fultz: a 2020 first-rounder via the Oklahoma City Thunder and a 2019 second-rounder via the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with defensive pest Jonathon Simmons.

Whew. That’s a lot to unpack. The once-maligned Sixers bench went to a refinery, the starting lineup got another shot-creating star, and the team accounted for some of the assets it lost in achieving the former two goals. These next few months are going to be a blast, but before we get there, let’s grade the moves Philly made at this year’s deadline.