The Philadelphia 76ers are looking at a Michael Carter-Williams trade and teams like the To Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets all could be interested in making a deal with the Sixers, as the team is in a hard rebuild and may look to move MCW at the deadline in 2015.
Carter-Williams came up in trade rumors over the summer when the team was at the draft and those continued towards the beginning of the season. According to ESPN.com, Chad Ford reports that the Sixers are looking to move Williams and that teams like the Lakers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Pacers and Knicks could be good matches for a deal. Williams is coming in after winning the rookie of the year award, but clearly the Sixers don't value him all that much if they are shopping him.
Williams had a strong season last year while averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds top lead all rookies and he ended up winning in a landslide. Williams is considered a solid point guard prospect, but many felt his stats were inflated while playing for a very bad team in 2014. Now the Sixers may look at trading Williams and it comes after the team already started making some moves to build up for the future under GM Sam Hinkie.
This season Williams is averaging 15.3 points and 7.2 assists along with four turnovers per game and he is shooting less than 40 percent from the field. Williams is young and has time to develop, but the Sixers appear to be ready to deal him and could get a pick or some salary relief out of making the move. Carter-Williams is one of the best players on the Sixers and dealing him would be yet another move that shows the team is planning to tank for as long as possible.
MCW is just 23 years old and that could get a team to take a chance on him, as he clearly has some potential and some solid talent after winning the rookie of the year award. The Sixers discussed trading Williams during the draft last year, but that ended up not happening after the team traded one of their picks, who was also a point guard. Williams has played well for the Sixers when he is the top option, as he has averaged nearly a triple double when Tony Wroten is not in the lineup. According to Adam Levitan, Williams is averaging 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds when Wroten is out and that could lead to a team checking in on him.
The Lakers, Knicks and Rockets all plan on targeting Goran Dragic in free agency and possibly at the trade deadline and if he ends up getting moved, the teams that miss out him could go after Williams. The Lakers would love to get Rajon Rondo, but he was traded to the Mavs and could stay with Dallas for the long term. Dragic is a top target for the Knicks, but with how bad they have been they may not be able to sign anyone in free agency come the summer of 2015.
