The Philadelphia 76ers finally swung big ahead of the trade deadline, dealing for Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson, two players the Golden State Warriors were expected to move before the buzzer.
Let's see how these teams fared after this deal:
Philadelphia 76ers: A
Received: Alec Burks (G/F), Glenn Robinson III (F)
The Sixers have had a rollercoaster ride this season, much like the Boston Celtics had in 2018-19 with Kyrie Irving running the show. Indecisiveness, lack of cohesion, poor shooting due to the departure of notable marksmen, and a slew of injuries have caused the team to be in complete disarray, turning them from one of the favorites to take the East to a mere sixth seed at 31-20.
Yet acquiring Alec Burks, a proven bench scorer that ranks only behind two NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award candidates in bench scoring — three-time winner Lou Williams and former MVP Derrick Rose.
Burks is just what the doctor ordered for the Sixers. His offense is potent, now that he's shown an uptick of 3-point prowess. He's taking a career-high 4.7 threes per game, which has only elevated his metrics with a stout 37.5% from deep. His averages (all career-highs) of 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists should prove a plug-and-play option for the Sixers' bench.
The Sixers also got a much-needed 3-point shooter to help out the bench in Glenn Robinson III, who's also had a career-high season across the board for the Warriors. Most importantly, Robinson got back to the high-octane 3-point prowess he showed in Indiana (41.2%) after a disappointing 29% he hit in Detroit. He started in 48 games — more starts than he's had in his last three seasons — and collected averages of 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.
Also noteworthy — Robinson is hitting 48.1% of his shots from the field at a career-high volume, something that can help this team when replacing Josh Richardson or Tobias Harris as a fill-in starter.
Addressing two major needs for the Sixers in one trade makes them a surefire winner in this transaction.
Golden State Warriors: B
Received: Three second-round draft picks (2020 via Dallas Mavericks, 2021 via Denver Nuggets, 2022 via Toronto Raptors)
A players-for-picks deal isn't the easiest to examine, considering we can judge a player's performance on the court but can't do the same with future assets that could be traded or bought down the line.
Regardless, the Warriors would have had to make some tough decisions down the road when it came to Burks and Robinson. The latter was the most likely to stay out of the two, considering his 3-point shooting ability could be a welcome addition for coach Steve Kerr and what had proved to be a depleted bench unit in the last few years.
Burks was a surefire sell, considering he's put up career-best numbers and was likely to demand a more handsome contract in the summer — much more than the veteran's minimum of $2.3 million he will make this season.
The 28-year-old could have fetched as high as a late first-round pick to a contender, but the Warriors' primary intention was to avoid being a tax-paying team in a season in which they won't contend.
Owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber were happy to shell out money so long as it repays them in wins, but now that it's no longer the case, Bob Myers first edict is to shave tax liabilities and collect future assets.
The Warriors shaved a combined $4.2 million in roster expenses, acquired three second-rounders, and opened up two roster spots that can be used for players like point guard Ky Bowman and center Marquese Chriss down the line — should they decide to reward them.
Not too shabby for a team that is lottery-bound with the worst record in the league.
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