NBA Rumors: Cavaliers Could Trade Kyle Korver And Protected 1st-Round Pick To 76ers For Markelle Fultz
After struggling earlier in the 2018-19 NBA season, rumors and speculations continue to swirl that the Philadelphia 76ers will soon part ways with former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz. The 20-year-old point guard is set to meet a specialist in New York and when he returns, Fultz reportedly wants a fresh start with a new team. To heat up the rumors, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Sixers no longer see Fultz as part of their long-term plans and may try to move him before the February NBA trade deadline.
One of the NBA teams who is currently being linked to Markelle Fultz is the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, the Cavaliers could offer a trade package including veteran shooting guard Kyle Korver and a protected future first-round pick to the Sixers for Fultz.
“Other teams have been sniffing around the Fultz situation, with the Cleveland Cavaliers believed to have dangled a deal built around Kyle Korver and a protected draft pick. The Cavs are just one of several teams to have reached out on Fultz, but it does not appear the 76ers are as eager to make a change as maybe Fultz’s camp may want, at least not yet. League sources who have inquired about Fultz said recently they didn’t think Fultz would be on the 76ers roster past the trade deadline.”
League executives believe the Sixers want to trade Markelle Fultz.
But the team is running out of time—and leverage: “I’d be surprised if they get any type of first-round pick” https://t.co/dCdGnrw3mb pic.twitter.com/cZ83sgERp9
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 27, 2018
Trading Markelle Fultz for Kyle Korver makes sense for both the Sixers and the Cavaliers. With their goal to fully dominate the LeBron James-less Eastern Conference this season, the Sixers need all the help they could get to have a better chance of beating other powerhouse teams like the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven series. At 37, there is no doubt that Kyle Korver is already on the downside of his NBA career, but he could still be an incredible addition to the Sixers’ second unit. This season, the veteran shooting guard is averaging 6.8 points on 46.1 percent shooting from the field and 46.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, though they are yet to admit it, the Cavaliers are currently on a path which is the exact opposite of what they took in the last four years. After realizing that they no longer have the capability to contend for the NBA championship title, the Cavaliers are now prioritizing the development of their young players over winning. Markelle Fultz may be considered as the odd man out in Philadelphia, but in Cleveland, he could be one of the players who could help the Cavaliers return to title contention in the next couple of years.
