National Basketball Association

5 Under-The-Radar Players Worth Trading For

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:32 a.m. ET

Fansided, Pete Sawan/FanSided via The Sixer Sense

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

With the NBA Trade Deadline upon us, let’s take a look at some players that the Philadelphia 76ers should take a look at before February 23rd.

In recent memories, the NBA Trade Deadline has been nothing short of riveting. With teams looking to make blockbuster deals, basketball fans sit with anticipation to see who gets moved. But those moves don’t alway happen. Most of the time smaller, quality moves help set teams up for success down the line.

Yet, value exists elsewhere. Guys like Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, and Jimmy Butler obviously would immediately make a team better. But, those players come at a hefty price. For a team like the Sixers, it might make more sense to look elsewhere at smaller name players.

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Obviously, the Philadelphia 76ers have the cap space to cover the cost of those players, but guys who typically demand the ball a lot like Melo could hinder the development of guys like Joel Embiid. If anything, a complimentary piece makes the most sense here.

Value Remains Key

The Sixers understand that they have the makings of a solid foundation at this point. Guys like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and whoever they take in this year’s draft have the potential to start a dynasty in Philly. So, the key here revolves around acquiring guys who can help in the development of this core.

Now, these players won’t demand much. They typically play in situations where they don’t have to call for the ball a lot. The key to success here stems from veteran leadership and the willingness to help the young guys grow. I’m not saying that they need to babysit JoJo or Ben, but they should at the very least play their roles well.

So, without further ado, here are 5 under-the-radar players that the Philadelphia 76ers should target before the trade deadline. These players won’t come at an expensive price tag. On the contrary, these players will fit nicely with the Sixers current young core.

Shabazz Muhammad (Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves)

Now, I’m starting off with a guy who most saw as a top pick coming out of high school: Shabazz Muhammad. He hasn’t necessarily lived up to that sort of title, but he has shown that he can do his part. For a Philadelphia 76ers team that needs role players, Muhammad can certainly fill that hole.

Even though he ranked number one in the country in 2012, Shabazz Muhammad has underwhelmed. For fairness’ sake, number one ranked recruits don’t always live up to the hype. From 2010 to 2015, only 2 of the 6 number one recruits got picked in the top 3. Andrew Wiggens and our own Jahlil Okafor were the only two top recruits to get drafted that high. The others failed to live up to the hype. Now, that doesn’t mean that they can’t contribute to an NBA roster.

Although he received tons of hype coming out of high school, and has yet to live up to it, Muhammad still has the tools to compete in this league. Ideally, he fits best coming off the bench. For the Timberwolves, Shabazz provides a much needed spark for that second unit.

While he doesn’t provide much on defense, offensively Shabazz Muhammad contributes a good amount. This season, Muhammad averages 8.8 points per game. Coupled with that, he shoots a solid 46.3 percent from the field.

His 3-point shot remains suspect, but he does shoot 44.3 percent from beyond the arc. In past seasons, he would force that shot, but this season, he picks and chooses his spots. Similar to our very own Nik Stauskas (although Nik is obviously the better shooter), he avoids taking bad shots. This sort of selective striking could fit rather well in Philadelphia.

New Year, New Bazz?

Some will argue that because his contract expires at the end of the season, it makes no sense to pursue Mohammad. But, it certainly intrigues the masses. Think about it, from Mohammad’s perspective, this could open up an opportunity to break out. Maybe a fresh start would help his case in the offseason. He could earn a decent salary in restricted free agency this summer.

For the Sixers, it could work to their benefit. For a team that still lacks that real depth at the wing, maybe Muhammad provides just what they need. If the Sixers do end up trading for him, they would have the right to match any offers he gets from other teams. Let the market dictate his work with a successful second half of the season.

Now, Minnesota wants to move Muhammad, but not by himself. Ideally, the team wants to package him alongside teammate Ricky Rubio. I don’t expect that the Philadelphia 76ers want Ricky Rubio, but maybe if a third team got involved it could work. So, if a third team needed to get involved, maybe Philly can do just that.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tyus Jones (Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves)

The Timberwolves have a lot of moving parts currently on their roster. Tyus Jones definitely caught my eye because of their guard depth. Unfortunately, Jones does not get many opportunities to prove himself in the current Timberwolves makeup, but in Philly, he might finally get the opportunity to prove himself.

It goes without saying that Philly still needs to find that premier point guard. Even with the recent success of T.J. McConnell, the team still doesn’t have a dynamic threat at the position. While Sergio Rodriguez brought quality play at times, he likely will not re-sign with the Sixers. If anything, it makes sense that he gets moved before the Trade Deadline.

However, Sergio’s status with the Philadelphia 76ers is neither here nor there. The Sixers need to start infusing the roster with depth at the guard position. Particularly, they need to look to younger guys who have not proven themselves yet.

Blue Devil Legacy

In a way, Tyus Jones has a chip on his shoulder. He played for a national championship team in the 2015 Duke Blue Devils. Playing for a program like Duke automatically puts this sort “winning culture” stigma on players. It certainly did that for guys like Tyus Jones.

Now, because of the logjam at the point guard position, he can’t find minutes. It doesn’t help that he ranked number 7 in the country among high school recruits in 2014. But, let’s not forget that at 20 years old, Jones still has room for improvement. It doesn’t help that he sits behind Ricky Rubio and Kris Dunn.

Unfortunately, Tyus Jones gets limited opportunities to show what he can do. He averages 9.9 minutes per game. That puts him only ahead of Jordan Hill, Adreian Payne, and John Lucas III. Obviously, talent pool lacks legitimate NBA capability, but Jones can still contribute if given the opportunity.

Thus, if the Philadelphia 76ers want to go after an unproven, relatively cheap commodity, Tyus Jones fits the bill. Depending on what happens with the rest of their backcourt, Jones might prove worthy of playing quality minutes. A change of scenery tends to help young guys. Hopefully, Jones finds his way as an active player on the Sixers.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Doug McDermott (Forward, Chicago Bulls)

Now, let’s look at a real fan favorite: Dougie McBuckets. The Philadelphia 76ers still lack a true shooter. They have guys like Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas, and Ersan Ilyasova, but the need for that dynamic shooter still exists. Doug McDermott could fill that role.

Back in 2014, fans clamored for Doug McDermott. Even then, people called for him. The argument here centered around the fact that he’s a known commodity. Everyone knew his name, especially considering he led the NCAA in scoring that year. For a team that lacked scoring, Doug McDermott immediately addressed that problem.

If you recall, the Philadelphia 76ers had 2 first round picks in that draft. The first pick, 3rd overall, turned into The Process himself: Joel Embiid. With the second pick, 10th overall, originally became Elfrid Payton. Later on, via trade with the Orlando Magic, Dario Saric found his way to Philly.

Originally, fans detested the pick. Everyone felt that Doug McDermott at 10 could seriously make the Philadelphia 76ers better. Valiant wing play lacked in Philly and McDermott would immediately alleviate that issue. You have to go back to Andre Iguodala to the last time Sixers had anyone competent at the 3.

McDown But Not McOut

Anyway, none of that matters now. What matters is that he hasn’t lived up to the hype. Now, he didn’t get many opportunities until last season. In his rookie year, he played a total of 36 games while averaging 8.9 minutes per game. Playing in Chicago, where rookies don’t typically play a lot off the bat, he had to earn his minutes.

With that said, McDermott at his current state would immediately help the Philadelphia 76ers. As a scoring wing, he fits the bill. This season, Dougie McD averages 10.0 points per game. Coupled with that, he averages 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from three. The Sixers need that kind of scoring, especially off the bench.

In terms of his contract, McDermott might entice the Sixers. He has another year on his contract for the 2017-2018 season, so, if he puts in the work, McDermott would have a year and a half to earn a contract extension. At this rate, McBuckets could see himself earning a decent extension. The Sixers have the cap space to make it happen, mind you.

Now, here’s where the Philadelphia 76ers come into play. The Chicago Bulls have been looking to shop some of their pieces. Interestingly enough, a guy that entices their front office is our own Jahlil Okafor. I’m not suggesting that the Sixers trade Jah for Doug straight up, but you have to think he could end up in the deal somehow.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Tim Hardaway Jr. (Guard, Atlanta Hawks)

Let’s take a trip down south for this next one. Here lies a guy who simply with name recognition might not fly as under-the-radar. Tim Hardaway Jr. makes a lot of sense for the Philadelphia 76ers, however, they need to capitalize on him now.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Pete, Tim Hardaway’s having a great year. Why’s he under-the-radar”? Well, reader, Tim Hardaway Jr. definitely should get some credit. He plays like a starter, and he puts up starter numbers.

Since his emergence in the NBA, Tim Hardaway Jr. has shown flashes. People wondered whether or not his game would transition to the NBA. The obvious comparisons to his father, Tim Hardaway, definitely didn’t help, but THJ should get a look from the Philadelphia 76ers front office.

This season, Hardaway averages a career high 12.4 points per game. Scoring has always been his forte. With this career high comes an efficient 44.2 percent shooting from the field. Scoring from the wings doesn’t come easy for the Sixers. Thus, Hardaway could fill that need.

Like Father, Like Son

Like many Philadelphia 76ers wings, Hardaway’s three point shot lacks consistency. Over his career, Hardaway has averaged 34.9 percent from three. Now, that puts him at about the NBA average. Similar to a lot of the guys already in Philly, he either gets hot or goes cold.

Contract-wise, Tim Hardaway Jr. will enter the 2017 offseason as an restricted free agent. This gives the team that has his rights the advantage, as they can match the offers from other teams. Now, as long as Hardaway continues playing well, the Sixers should try to match. Essentially, the second half of the season would be a showcase for the fourth year veteran.

Trade-wise, Hardaway might not cost as much as people speculate. Even though he enjoys playing in Atlanta, I don’t think the Hawks feel they need to fall in love with him. With the recent speculation regarding Paul Millsap, the Hawks could look to blow everything up. If they do, the Philadelphia 76ers can swoop in and scoop THJ on the cheap side.

Allen Crabbe (Guard, Portland Trailblazers)

Finally, we have a guy who many Philadelphia 76ers fans want — Allen Crabbe. Although he doesn’t necessarily fit the mold for “under-the-radar”, Sixers fans would definitely welcome him with open arms. Yet another shooter. I like shooters, if you can’t tell.

So, I’m not going to go into great detail with Crabbe’s NBA story. Ideally, he simply fits what the Philadelphia 76ers need. They need shooters, and they need them bad. As I mentioned before: scoring from the wing does not come easy for this team.

Crabbe would immediately fill that hole for the Sixers. Once the Sixers find the wing who can shoot the way Crabbe can, it’s over. This season, Allen Crabbe averages 10.8 points per game. On top of that, he shoots 46.8 percent from the field and a fantastic 43.9 percent from the three. If there’s anyone that the Sixers should target, it’s Allen Crabbe.

Unlike the Sixers, the Portland Trailblazers have a logjam at the guard position. They have All-Star caliber guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum starting over Crabbe. Now, I’m not arguing that Crabbe should start. Yet, a guy with his potentially should get more looks.

Crabbe’s Role

Obviously, when you play behind Dame and C.J., minutes don’t come easy. This season, Crabbe averages 28.9 minutes per game. Now, those are solid bench minutes, but I think that he can do much more. Him and Covington would make a fantastic one-two punch.

When it comes to his contract, Allen Crabbe definitely has the benefit of that summer extension. Currently, Crabbe will remain under contract until 2020. Even though his contract is rather large, the Philadelphia 76ers can accommodate it. If anything, cap space is not an issue for this team.

One more thing I’d like to mention is his age. Allen Crabbe is only 24 years old. At the end of the 2020 season, he’ll be around 27 years old. Now, player development has been the cornerstone of what the Sixers want to do. Have a shooter like Allen Crabbe develop his game with your organization definitely helps.

The Blazers lack bigs. The Sixers lack guards. If both teams want to alleviate this issue, a simple trade could work. Hopefully, we can see Crabbe in a #23 Philadelphia 76ers jersey hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy.