The Philadelphia 76ers were an interesting team to watch out for during the NBA trade deadline because of the injury to Joel Embiid.
Embiid suffered a knee injury that will force him to miss an extended period of time, leaving some to wonder whether or not the 76ers would make a move for reinforcements.
Instead, Philadelphia’s Daryl Morey decided to be a seller, trading away young swingman Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics in exchange for a second-round pick.
Morey has done his best work maneuvering the salary cap and finding deals that give his team a slight edge on the margins, but trading away a player to a conference rival like the Celtics was a head-scratcher.
However, Morey explained that the draft pick had more value than Springer at this juncture and he offered a blunt assessment of the deal, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
“(It’s) our evaluation and if we’re wrong, we’re wrong,” Morey said. “And then you guys can all write it. It’s fine.”
Why did Daryl Morey trade Jaden Springer to one of his team's biggest competitors?
Morey's evaluation says Springer currently can't help a playoff team win games in the postseason.
The Celtics’ evaluation is that the Sixers are wrong.
✍️@JaredWeissNBAhttps://t.co/BDfaAUhgOo pic.twitter.com/MpemBuwP0N
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 10, 2024
Morey did say that Springer has the potential to be a useful player down the line, but the move was more financially driven as the 76ers are now below the luxury tax and will have access to the full midlevel exception come the summer.
For Boston, a second-round pick is a small price to pay for someone with Springer’s upside.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia has more resources at its disposal to add to their roster in free agency.
It’s a solid deal for both sides, though Morey might end up kicking himself if Springer develops into a good NBA player.
NEXT: Pacers Veteran Is Reportedly A 'Trade Target' For 76ers