Today is the NBA Trade Deadline and if you thought the Philadelphia 76ers were just going to stand pat then you do not know GM Sam Hinkie. Hinkie has no problem with doing trades for expiring contracts, second round or even first round picks.
That was the case today as he worked his magic this time making a trade with the Denver Nuggets. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Sixers acquired center JaVale McGee and Oklahoma City’s 2015 first-round pick from the Nuggets.
But the trade was not complete as many people were wondering what the Sixers will be sending in return to Denver. Well, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando, the Sixers will be sending the rights to Cenk Akyol to the Nuggets. Before Cauchi’s tweet about the Sixers sending Akyol, Chris Mannix of SI had noted that the Nuggets would receive one of Philly’s draft-and-stash players and create a sizable trade exception.
When looking at the future of McGee with the Sixers, it’s murky as best because the team could decide to keep him on the roster or buy him out. McGee missed most of the 2013-14 season due to a stress fracture in his leg and has missed some time this season because of it.
Over his career, he is averaging 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game. This season, McGee has only played in 17 games and is averaging 5.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game. Here is the kicker though about McGee and it’s his contract. This season alone, he is making $11.2 million and next season he is making $12 million.
For the Sixers, it was a solid move as they pick up another first round pick and absorb salary at the same time for a player who might not play for them.
There is one more update to this trade as according to Marc J. Spears from Yahoo! Sports, the Sixers have acquired the rights to Nigerian forward Chu Chu Maduabum.
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