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NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers, Suns, Pistons, And Wizards In Blockbuster Eight-Player Deal

Published on: September 15, 2016 at 5:41 PM
By Adrian Lawhorn

Some NBA trade rumors are simple one-for-one deals between two teams. Others are much more complex such as the four-team, eight-player trade that is currently making the rounds. According to the website NBA Trade Rumors , there could be a blockbuster swap on the way between Philadelphia, Phoenix, Detroit, and Washington. This trade scenario breaks down as follows:

  1. The Philadelphia 76ers would give up center Jahlil Okafor for point guard Reggie Jackson.
  2. The Phoenix Suns would send out point guard Brandon Knight and small forward T.J. Warren while receiving small forward Tobias Harris, small forward Reggie Bullock, and a future first-round draft choice from Detroit.
  3. The Detroit Pistons would deal small forward Tobias Harris, small forward Reggie Bullock, point guard Reggie Jackson and two future first-round draft picks in return for point guard John Wall and power forward Markieff Morris.
  4. The Washington Wizards would trade point guard John Wall and power forward Markieff Morris in exchange for point guard Brandon Knight, center Jahlil Okafor, small forward T.J. Warren and a future first-round draft choice from the Pistons.

If this rumored trade takes place, it would be one of the largest NBA trades in recent memory in terms of the number of teams, the number of players, and the aggregate talent changing hands. This massive deal would be allowed under NBA trade and salary cap rules (per the ESPN Trade Machine ), so it is legitimate from that standpoint. Would all four teams agree to swap these eight players and two draft picks? That is another question entirely.

The Sixers have too many centers and not enough of anything else, so they have been mentioned in NBA trade rumors all summer. Dealing Jahlil Okafor for Reggie Jackson would be a good move for Philadelphia as the team would still be strong at the center position, but they would be upgrading their point guard spot considerably. The 76ers would be a better and more balanced team as a result of this trade.

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The Suns currently have Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe, two point guards who are talented and warrant significant playing time. Phoenix would like to trade one of them, and this potential deal would ship Knight to Washington and leave the point guard duties to Bledsoe. Tobias Harris would be a likely starter if he joined the Suns, and the first-round pick would add further value to the deal for Phoenix. Overall, this is a near-even swap for the Suns, but it has enough upside for them that one can see why they may be considering this proposal.

Detroit’s part of this possible deal is also interesting. The Pistons would be giving up a lot, but certainly getting a lot in return, too. A package of NBA All-Star John Wall and solid performer Markieff Morris looks enticing for Detroit until one examines the cost. Reggie Jackson may not be on Wall’s level, but he is a very good player in his own right. Tobias Harris is an up-and-coming young talent, and two first-round draft choices would be lost as well.

It is very difficult to obtain a great player via trade in the NBA, and in order to do so, a team often has to overpay for the right to acquire a star (in this case, John Wall). There is a chance that Detroit would be willing to do this deal if they are enamored with Wall’s talent and ability, but they would be paying a hefty price to bring him on board. Everything considered, this is probably a trade the Pistons should pass on.

This potential trade really begins to fall apart when looking at the Washington Wizards’ side of things. Jahlil Okafor is a talented, productive big man, but the Wizards are set at center with Marcin Gortat and Ian Mahinmi. They absolutely don’t need another post player, especially if acquiring one would be an expensive transaction. Brandon Knight would be Wall’s replacement in the backcourt, and the draft choice would be an asset, but Washington would be giving up too much in this exchange and not getting much in return that would improve their team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RXIZEAo9Fec

The latest NBA trade rumors highlight a potential blockbuster deal between the Sixers, Suns, Pistons, and Wizards. This proposed trade scenario does include some intriguing player movement, but in the end, it has little chance of becoming official due to the lack of value and fit for one or more of the teams involved.

[Featured Image by Alex Brandon/AP Images]

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