The NBA trading deadline isn't until February, but with reports heating up for names like Omer Asik and Dion Waiters over the past few weeks, there have been a number of other deals that possibly could go down and now the Philadelphia 76ers could be involved, as Thaddeus Young has reportedly asked for a trade from the Sixers this season along with possibly Evan Turner.
Young has been mentioned as a possible trade chip numerous times this season along with Evan Turner and there were rumors over the summer that the team could deal Young or Spencer Hawes this year as they work on rebuilding. The team was mentioned in the Omer Asik trade talks as a possible option for a third team to get involved with the Rockets and the Boston Celtics, but Houston decided it would be best to hold onto Asik for now and he could be dealt at the deadline as well.
The Sixers started off the season less terribly than everyone expected, but now that the deadline is coming up and the team is just 7-19, chances are that GM Sam Hinkie will start making moves. The team has great trade bait in Evan Turner and Young and making a deal for Waiters could be the first in many moves that the team pulls off between now and February. There are a number of teams out west that could use a legitimate scoring option and both Turner and Young have been playing well this season, with Turner leading the team with just under 20 points per game and the squad is currently fifth in the Atlantic division.
Reports last week said that the Sixers were one of the frontrunners for Waiters in trade talks with the Cavaliers and with Cleveland not off to the start they wanted either, they could make a move to pick up Young or Turner. ESPN.com reported that Waiters and star point guard Kyrie Irving have been having some issues with one another and that has spurred the trade talk for Waiters, who was a former top 10 pick from Syracuse and has boat loads of potential. A new start could be good for both sides and the report from Pro Basketball Talk says that Young submitted a "formal" trade request with his agent to the team.
Young is manageable with $9,410,869 in 2014-15 and an early termination option the year after that and Young is actually "young" as well at 25 and that makes him a very valuable chip. The Sixers are likely to start dealing once it gets closer to the deadline and it comes as the team has dropped 15 of 17 after getting off to a surprising 3-0 start to the season.