The Sixers have been mentioned in NBA trade rumors as a team that could be sellers at the deadline and names like Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes have been reported as the ones to move and now a possible partner for those deals could be the Boston Celtics with a swap of contracts in a combination of Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace, Brandon Bass or Kris Humphries.
According to SI.com, the Sixers have received plenty of interest on all three players, especially Turner, and the main issue for general manager Sam Hinkie is working out what compensation he can get. The team is in a huge rebuild and that is why they are shopping those players in the first place and that means draft picks in any deals. The Sixers have Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams as their young players to build around and with Turner, Young and Hawes still relatively young but becoming more experienced, Hinkie feels it's best to get picks for them to help add to the foundation.
Turner was a former number two pick but the team has made it clear that he will be gone next season and with his contract expiring, a number of teams have shown interest, the most being the Charlotte Bobcats along with the San Antonio Spurs. According to ESPN.com, one suggested deal for the Sixers is to partner with the Celtics, as a trade could be mutually beneficial for both sides since they each are rebuilding. The Celtics have a boatload of bad contracts that will be on their way to coming off the books along with draft picks, while the Sixers want picks and the chance to start building again. The Celtics would be giving up a draft pick in the process, but it might be worth it to clear out that cap space finally.
The Sixers could be more interested in a player like Green and it would be tough to work out on both sides with that many players involved, but Philly is clearly motivated to make trades for draft picks and Boston is a team that has multiple ones in their pocket and could be willing to part with one. Hinkie is looking to start rebuilding this summer, so a 2014 pick is most preferable, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't take a 2015 pick instead, especially if the interest in Turner dies down as the deadline gets closer.
The tough thing for Hinkie with Turner is convincing a team why they should trade a first round pick for Turner now instead of just waiting to sign him as a free agent. That spot may end up forcing Hinkie to lower his demands for a trade and that makes a team like the Spurs and interesting one and they could get involved if a top draft pick is not part of the deal. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the team is ready to make a move since they have plenty of cap space and an open roster spot and that they could be willing to take a salary dump as long as a draft pick is involved.
