The Wizards need to do everything they can do to keep John Wall. And that means trading for Pelicans center (and potential league MVP) DeMarcus Cousins.
It has been no secret that Boogie and Wall have wanted to play with one another for a long time, and this could be the year it happens — following a continuing trend of superstars teaming up and building Warriors-like super teams.
If Cousins does actually get moved – or if his teammate Anthony Davis does, Washington is going to need to make room for a max contract. And the only one they have that they’d want to move is Otto Porter’s.
Porter has been a revelation this season, averaging 16.8 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting at a 48 percent clip from three-point range. For the Wizards to part with him, they’ll need to be building for a run at an Eastern Conference championship and adding an All-Star big man is the way to go for that.
If New Orleans finds itself selling, there’s no way the’ll want Porter in a deal. Which is where the Sixers come in.
Philly has been playing above .500 basketball (pending Wednesday night’s duel in Los Angeles) and has a lot of cap space to work with. There is a strong argument to be made that adding the 24-year-old former No. 3 overall pick is a great match for the Sixers. His name was already mentioned this offseason as a free agent target, but his restricted status found him back in D.C.
The style of play — fast-paced, long and with shooters around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons — makes Philly a great spot for Porter. And with Simmons, an anomoly at 6-foot-10 playing point guard, Porter’s 6-foot-8 frame makes him well-suited to make the Philadelphia defense really tough to deal with. In a wing-heavy NBA, having a player like Porter, alongside Robert Covington and Dario Saric gives Philly an ideal roster to eventually compete with the likes of Milwaukee and Boston as they work toward contention.
The NBA trade deadline isn’t for a few months, so the Sixers can continue developing Embiid, Simmons and the rest of their young roster as they decide whether to buy this winter or sit pat and be a player in free agency. Either way, their excess of talent and vast reserves of draft picks and cap space make the 76ers a sure topic of trade buzz for months and months.
