Philadelphia 76ers: To claim, or not to claim Quinn Cook, that is the question
What are the Philadelphia 76ers‘ biggest flaws?
By my estimation, three areas come to mind: 3 point shooting, backup playmaking, and a bigger forward.
While it may be a tad unrealistic to assume the Sixers will be able to address all three positions of need without pulling off a crazy, Elton Brand-esque trade where he flips a half-dozen players change sides, finding a way to address those flaws economically, with one player filling multiple roles, could be the best way to improve the roster on the margins without blowing it up with a chemistry-altering deal.
Well, in a serendipitous turn of events, the Sixers may have an opportunity to do just that, as the Los Angeles Lakers have officially waived two-time NBA champion – and DeMatha Catholic product – Quinn Cook to presumably open up a roster spot to sign DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins.
But is Cook the right player for the Sixers’ current roster? And is it even possible to secure his services given the Sixers’ current record, salary cap situation, and positioning on the waiver wire? Let’s take a look and find out.
Quinn Cook to the Philadelphia 76ers? That’s easier said than done.
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On paper, Quinn Cook is the exact kind of player the Philadelphia 76ers would like to add to their roster right now. He’s 6-foot-1, a 40 percent 3 point shooter, a functional facilitator for a shoot-first combo guard, and a player experienced with playing both in and off the ball from his time with the Warriors and Lakers.
While Cook could conceivably play alongside any of the Sixers’ current guards save maybe 6-foot-2 Seth Curry, as he can play either guard spot alongside a defensive-minded backcourt partner in crime, his real value comes as a do-it-all bench piece capable of wearing multiple hats when his number gets called.
Assuming he’s available to be had, Cook would likely slot in as the Sixers’ *hmm* 11th -13th best player, in the same vein as Furkan Korkmaz, Tony Bradley, and Isaiah Joe but ahead of non-players like Terrance Ferguson and Vincent Poirier.
But do you know what the keyword of that sentence is? Assuming. While we’d all like to assume Daryl Morey’s decision to sign Cook is purely based on want, there’s a chance the Sixers opt to put a waiver claim in on the 27-year-old’s services only to be bypassed for another team, maybe even the Warriors, who have a worse record.
That’s right, even though the Sixers can technically claim Cook off of waivers with their current cap restraints, as the Lakers initially re-signed the fifth-year guard to a $1.7 million minimum deal back in December, and thus Philly can secure his services for nothing other than a freed up roster spot, they’d need to wait and see if 25 other teams with worse records put in a claim first.
Will any other teams opt to claim Cook’s services? Only time will tell, but since the Sixers have the fifth-best record in the league behind the Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, and Suns, they fall 26th overall on the waiver wire and will thus have to wait and see if any of the other teams in the East and the majority of the teams in the West would also like Cook’s services.
You’re telling me a team like the Cavaliers, who currently rank 30th overall in team 3 point shooting percentage, wouldn’t mind securing Cook’s services? Or how about the Orlando Magic, who have seen both of their promising young guards – Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony – hit with long-term injuries. Surely they’d have minutes to spare for a player like Cook.
Boy, when Shams Charania suggested that teams are expected to express interest in Cook, he wasn’t kidding. Honestly, it’d probably be easier to come up with a list of teams who wouldn’t want to claim his services considering his meager pay and scoring upside.
Next. Don’t leave Tampa without trading for Norman Powell. dark
Is there a world where Quinn Cook passes through waivers unclaimed? Sure, but between you and me, I don’t see that happening. Considering the team that takes on his services via waivers would effectively be getting him for the veteran minimum, there’s no reason for any GM to hope he goes unclaimed and then enter into a bidding war for his services. So, with that in mind, the chances the two-time NBA champion ends up in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform appear rather slim, as Daryl Morey’s interest in Cook is unknown, and the team may not even be able to procure his services if he wants to because of their record. Alas, what a terrible problem to have.