Philadelphia 76ers: Trevor Booker is a big baller
The Philadelphia 76ers have finally moved on from Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas, but Trevor Booker is far from a consolation prize. Meet the newest Sixer.
The Philadelphia 76ers may have just added a banger.
Let’s be real, everyone knew that Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas weren’t long for this team, and would likely be traded for pennies on the dollar, and on the surface level, it appears that that’s what the team got.
In a trade that many initially viewed as one-sided, Bryan Colangelo proposed moving the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, the eighth selection in the 2014 NBA draft and the New York Knicks‘ 2019 second round pick for Trevor Booker, a 30-year old forward on an expiring contract.
While many called the move a simple dump with draft compensation thrown in for good measure, don’t overlook what Booker can bring to this team.
Related Story: Booker ends up being too much for 76ers to handle
Over his first eight seasons in the league, Booker has established himself as one of the leagues most passionate players. A former first-round pick from Clemson, Booker has been predominantly used as an athletic power forward who can also shift to super small ball center if need be. Though not the best outside shooter in the league, currently owning a 32-percent three-point percentage, Booker has been absolutely deadly in the half and full court game, a scheme the 76ers deploy quite often.
In Booker, the 76ers are not only helping their depth chart, in that they currently use point guard Ben Simmons as starter Dario Saric‘s primary backup, but also their team’s very identity.
How many times have we watched the 76ers’ offense go absolutely silent when the second team unit comes into the game? While he may not be the best scorer in the league, averaging only seven-points per game for his career, no one will doubt that Booker brings a lot of heart everytime he steps on the court.
Much like the Golden State Warriors‘ Draymond Green, Booker has a junkyard dog mentality and could serve as a vocal, veteran enforcer for a team that desperately needs some extra grit.
If Booker joins the team, something that is by no means a guarantee, and can prove himself to be a good guy in the locker room, he could be the missing piece to the 76ers playoff run, and his scheme flexibility could make the 76ers an even more deadly out down the stretch.