The Philadelphia 76ers will have fresh faces in their front office after former general manager Sam Hinkie stepped down from his post, paving the way for the arrival of former NBA Executive of the Year awardee Bryan Colangelo.
According to Sporting News, the 76ers are expected to become one of the most active teams on the trade front this summer with Colangelo running the show. Sources indicated that the 76ers will look to acquire a marquee point guard using their plethora of picks in the coming years.
"Now with Sam Hinkie out and Bryan Colangelo headed into Philadelphia to head the basketball operations as general manager, watch for the Sixers to be active trade partners around draft time," Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News revealed. "They'll probably look to use some of their first-round draft picks to secure a proven playmaker."
Aside from their picks, the 76ers could also dangle rookie center Jahlil Okafor in trade talks again this season. Okafor was selected third overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Okafor, who averaged 17.5 points on top of 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks before being shut down with a knee injury, was mentioned in numerous trade rumors before the deadline in February. The Boston Celtics were reportedly in deep talks with the 76ers about a deal involving Okafor, but Philadelphia eventually kept the former Duke standout.
According to Philly.com, this season could be Okafor's first and last in Philadelphia, as he could be dealt this summer, especially if former first-round pick Joel Embiid recovers fully from a foot injury that derailed the start of his NBA career. Embiid has not played since being picked third in 2014 after sustaining a stress fracture in his right foot.
In the event Embiid becomes healthy to make his season debut for the 76ers next season, the 76ers will likely settle for frontcourt headlined by the former Kansas standout and Nerlens Noel, then use Okafor in a trade that could speed up their rebuilding process.
It remains to be seen, though, what rival teams are willing to offer in exchange for Okafor, considering the fact that the 20-year-old sustained a torn meniscus in his right knee that forced him to sit out their last 23 games this season.
