Philadelphia 76ers: Farewell Corey Brewer, you will be missed

With his second 10-day contract officially expired and no formal extension expected before the 2019 trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers have to say goodbye to Corey Brewer, at least for now.

Goodbye Corey Brewer, though you were only a Philadelphia 76er for 20-days, you will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

That’s right, after giving it his all over a pair of 10-day contracts, Brewer will be hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent, with a plethora of teams expected to line up for his services with the playoffs on the way.

I think I see it forming now.

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While this move was a bit surprising, it also feels somewhat inevitable, especially when you consider what the Sixers trajectory has been so far this season.

For (literally) months now, the Sixers have been towing a pretty consistent line when asked about their roster construction; ‘this is now the team they will have once the playoffs begin’. No matter who you ask, from Brett Brown, to Elton Brand, to even Joel Embiid the answer has remained the same.

But with that being said, some, myself included, believed Brewer could and should have been a part of that revamped roster.

Brewer played about as well as anyone could have expected after signing a 10-day contract back in mid-January, averaging 7.6 points and 1.7 steals in 22.5 minutes of action a night, easily swiftly becoming one of the team’s most productive reserves alongside Landry Shamet and T.J. McConnell. Brewer also played pretty well as a spot starter, leading the team to a 2-1 record in relief of Jimmy Butler.

Though his minutes and production were pretty variable depending on the day, Brewer always seemed happy just to be on the team, even if he logged minutes in the single digits like he did against Minnesota and Sacramento.

Now, the 76ers will be forced to face off against the Toronto Raptors in their triumphant return to the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night undermanned once more.

But why? Why would the team do this after Brewer left it all on the court for his newfound home?

One word: trade.

This move isn’t a slight against Brewer, but instead, an indication that Brand has something cooking up for Thursday afternoon’s trade deadline, one that obviously needs a vacant roster spot to accommodate.

Whether it be a 2-for-1 deal, a 3-2 deal, or even a picks for a player swap like the Portland Trail Blazers just pulled off to acquire Rodney Hood from the Cleveland Cavaliers, expect the Sixers to be very active players at the trade deadline, attempting to reload their roster just in time for a major postseason push.

And hey, who knows, maybe the team could still re-sign Brewer after the deadline has passed? I mean, he already has good chemistry in the locker room, has experience in the scheme, and fits the model of a Philly basketball player to a T, if the Sixers somehow have an available roster spot on Friday why not?

Well, for one thing, he very well may not be available once the deadline passes, as most playoff contenders would happily add a veteran 3-and-D wing for the veteran minimum.

Next. Jimmy Butler needs more consistent offensive touches. dark

By allowing Brewer to test the open market, the Philadelphia 76ers are betting on themselves to make a move at the deadline that tips the scales further than Brewer had over his seven-game tenure. For the sake of the team, let’s hope it pays off.