3 76ers Who Won't Survive the Rest of the Season in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia 76ers have cemented themselves as one of the best teams to begin the 2023-24 NBA season. They're 12-6 through the first 18 games, which is fairly impressive given that they didn't achieve their 12th win until Game No. 21 of the 2022-23 campaign.
But as promising as this strong start looks, history shows that the status quo rarely leads to championship rings. If the 76ers want to keep pace with their fellow contenders, general manager Daryl Morey might need to make more moves ahead of February's deadline.
In other words, those currently on the roster aren't guaranteed to still be around once the season ends.
Here are three 76ers who won't survive the rest of the season in Philadelphia.
1. Nicolas Batum
Nicolas Batum joined the 76ers earlier this season as a part of the James Harden trade with the LA Clippers. The 34-year-old veteran was included in the deal due to his $11.7 million cap hit being necessary to help facilitate the trade.
Having said that, Batum hasn't been that bad of a rotational player for Philly. The former 2008 first-rounder is averaging 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 60.0% from the field and 56.3% from the three-point line across 10 games with the Sixers.
Batum for 3️⃣. pic.twitter.com/9l1BPG6Jlz
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 30, 2023
Despite a strong start to his 76ers tenure, Batum shouldn't get too comfortable in the City of Brotherly Love.
After all, the 76ers would love to pair a third star alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That sort of player doesn't come cheap — especially if Morey has his eyes on someone like DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine.
If Philadelphia has the chance to land one of those players (or someone on their level), chances are Batum will be a part of that deal due to his contract's financial value. He's also set to hit free agency next summer, meaning any team acquiring him wouldn't need to make a long-term commitment.
Nevertheless, the 76ers can't move Batum just yet. Due to his already being traded this season, the team must wait until Dec. 30 for his trade exception to expire.