NBA Rumors: 76ers among teams who could partner with Nets on trade before deadline

The Brooklyn Nets are sitting on an NBA-best $15.2 million in cap space ahead of the trade deadline. Following a busy offseason, the rebuilding squad remains open for business as a dumping ground for unwanted contracts.

The Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams that the Nets could partner with on a deal before Feb. 5.

“Based on [the 76ers’] recent history of trading to get under the luxury-tax threshold, there’s an expectation that they’ll make at least one trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline,” wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “The Sixers are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.”

Ducking the tax won’t be simple for the 76ers. They have six players making more than $7 million: Joel Embiid ($55.2 million), Paul George ($54.1 million), Tyrese Maxey ($38 million), V.J. Edgecombe ($11.1 million), Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million) and Kelly Oubre ($8.4 million).

Nets’ cap space could be deadline asset to 76ers, others

Of those, Oubre is the only plausible trade candidate in a cost-cutting move. However, the 76ers will be hesitant to part with the forward, who has averaged 14.6 points on .490/.380/.733 shooting spits across 22 appearances this season. Philadelphia could work out a three-team trade where it receives assets and another unwanted contract, which could be rerouted to Brooklyn.

Andre Drummond is a more likely salary-dump candidate. The veteran center is on a $5 million expiring contract. The 76ers could package draft compensation with Drummond and a pair of minimum contracts to dump them into the Nets’ cap space. However, that would leave Philadelphia with several open roster spots and a need at backup center.

Daryl Morey could fill the open spots by signing free agents to prorated minimum contracts. The 76ers could use one of their open roster spots on another center. Otherwise, they’d have to rely on Adem Bona, Johmi Broome and Dominick Barlow to fill the minutes behind Joel Embiid.

The Orlando Magic are another team to watch regarding a cost-cutting move that could involve Brooklyn. They’re $5.6 million above the luxury tax line and have two players on expiring, mid-sized contracts — Tyus Jones ($7 million) and Jett Howard ($5.5 million) — who aren’t integral pieces. Howard’s father, Juwan, is an assistant coach for the Nets.

The Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns could also partner with Brooklyn on a trade. Each is less than $1 millon above the tax line and should be motivated to dip below it. Each season, half of the NBA’s collected luxury tax payments are distributed equally to the league’s non-taxpaying teams.

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