The NBA trade deadline is right around the corner as Feb. 9 continues to approach quickly. Now is the time for teams to make moves to position themselves either for a title run or to simply make the playoffs.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, their playoff spot is all but assured. Their focus is making sure they have a team that is ready to chase the championship they so desperately crave.
However, most believe the Sixers will make a smaller move to get below the luxury tax threshold. They are currently roughly $1.1 million above the luxury tax line and the focus could be moving Furkan Korkmaz or even Matisse Thybulle.
Per Marc Stein via his substack, the Sacramento Kings are monitoring Thybulle’s availability:
Sacramento is said to be monitoring the availability of Philadelphia’s Matisse Thybulle as the Kings, unexpectedly holding the West’s No. 3 seed after a league-record 16 consecutive seasons out of the playoffs, ponder the pursuit of a more defensive-minded option on the perimeter. One source with knowledge of the Kings’ thinking, meanwhile, insists that rival teams hoping for Richaun Holmes to become a buyout candidate if Sacramento can’t trade him (as mentioned here last week) are poised to be disappointed. A buyout would be complicated for both sides with two years and nearly $25 million left on Holmes’ contract after this season.
It would be tough for the Sixers to move Thybulle, who has such a positive effect when he’s out there on the floor, but Philadelphia needs a backup center. If Richaun Holmes is there for the taking and the Kings just want Thybulle, this may be the route they go.
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