With the recent news of Thad being traded to Minnesota, it got me reminiscing on trades past. The Sixers have made many terrible trades in recent memory. So many in fact, I made a list of the ten worst trades the team has made since 2000. Let's hope the Thad Young trade doesn't make its way onto a similar list in the upcoming years...
10. Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and a 2007 1st round pick for Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin – 2006
This really wasn’t that bad of a trade. The only reason it makes an appearance on this list is because it involves Iverson. At the time of the trade, Iverson was facing free agency and the team was clearly not going in a direction in which to entice Iverson to resign. So in an attempt to gain valuable pieces for him, the Sixers traded him to Denver. Andre Miller was the centerpiece of the trade return for the Sixers. An experienced guard, Miller was one of the most underrated players in the league while with Philadelphia. So while this trade wasn’t too bad for the team, it saw one of the most recognizable names in the whole franchise of the Philadelphia 76ers shipped out of town, something that upset a lot of the fans.
P.S. How weird does Iverson look in any other NBA Team's jersey that isn't the 76ers?
P.S. How weird does Iverson look in any other NBA Team's jersey that isn't the 76ers?
9. Craig Brackins and Darius Songaila for Willie Green and Jason Smith - 2010
While Green and Smith are no superstars, they are quality players who can service any team. Green was loved by fans for his hustle and determination. He made smart plays, and could come into a game and take it over. Smith had high expectations when he was drafted. He fell short of said expectations – because the team traded him before he could develop. This trade was not a blockbuster by any stretch of the imagination, but it was an overall bad decision by the front office.
8. Jamal Mashburn and Rodney Rogers for Glenn Robinson - 2005
Glenn Robinson still had some trade value to his name when the Sixers traded him in 2005, so it’s hard to see how all they received for him was Rodney Rogers. While Jamal Mashburn was included in the deal, it was just a name thrown in as his injuries prevented him from ever playing with the team. He was on Philadelphia’s payroll for one year before retiring. Rogers was a big man with a good shot, but was a role player at best. He played just 28 games for Philly. Roger’s most memorable moment came in his first game with the Sixers, when his named was spelled incorrectly on his jersey:
P.S. I wish the Sixers would still wear these Syracuse Nationals Throwbacks
7. Robert Traylor and Matt Harpring for Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones - 2001
Traylor was the definition of a power forward coming out of Michigan in the 1998 NBA Draft. His size, strength, and weight gave him the nickname Tractor Traylor, and at best he was supposed to be the poor man’s Shaq. He was selected 6th overall by Dallas, and then later traded to the Bucks for some German born player named Dirk Nowitzki. After becoming a flop in the NBA, the Sixers traded for him in August of 2001 (along with Matt Harpring) for Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones from Cleveland. Harpring was a decent trading piece, but nothing too special. Two months later, without a game in Philly to his credit, Traylor was then traded again. He was used as a trading piece for Philadelphia to receive Derrick Coleman, which turned out to be his biggest contribution to the team.
6. (As part of a 4 team trade) Glenn Robinson, Marc Jackson, and a 2006 2nd round pick for Randy Holcomb and a 2007 1st round pick – 2003
Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson was on the brink of becoming a star while with the Milwaukee Bucks in the mid to late ‘90s. He was the #1 overall pick in 1994, and along with Ray Allen and Sam Cassell helped the Bucks reach the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals (where they lost to the 76ers). After a productive season with the Atlanta Hawks, he was traded to the Sixers with high expectations. An overpriced contract and underwhelming stats cut his stay with the Sixers short, as he was traded a year later. The Hawks received Randy Holcomb and a first round selection that was not granted because it was protected by the NBA lottery, instead they received cash considerations.
5. Corliss Williamson for Amal McCaskill and Derrick Coleman – 2004
Derrick Coleman was a former ROTY winner as well as an All-Star. While he wasn’t as good as he once was while with the Sixers, he was still a decent player who could give a team quality minuets on a daily basis. So why was he traded for a mediocre at best player in Williamson? All in all Coleman helped Detroit reach the 2004-05 NBA Finals, and Scoreliss Corliss was traded a year later
4. Danny Granger for Lavoy Allen and Evan Turner - 2013
Granger is a talented Small Forward who was thought to help the Sixers in their rebuilding era. His time with the Indian Pacers saw him selected to the 2009 All-Star game, and also win the award for Most Improved Player that same year. However Philadelphia only held his rights for six days before waiving him; clearly he did not fit in the team’s blueprints. The cost for Granger was pretty steep; Lavoy Allen and Evan Turner. Allen was a defensive specialist who, coming from Temple, was also a fan favorite. Turner, the onetime #2 overall selection, was a bit of an enigma. At times he looked unstoppable, and others completely lost. A move was necessary for Turner, as clearly the Sixers were tired of waiting for his game to develop. That being said, they could’ve and should’ve gotten more for him than Danny Granger who never laced them up for the team.
3. Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch for Dikembe Mutombo – 2002
After their loss in the ’01 NBA Finals, the Sixers traded their best asset not named Allen Iverson in Mutombo to the Nets in exchange for Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch. Van Horn was known as a steady shooter with the ability to nail the three ball. He proved to be too slow and lacked defensive abilities to be a game changer however, and was traded by the Sixers the following offseason. Todd MacCulloch was actually a quality big man, until foot injuries derailed his career. He played in four seasons total, three in Philly. Mutombo helped the Nets reach the NBA Finals in his first year in New Jersey.
2. Chris Webber, Matt Barnes, and Michael Bradley for Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, and Corliss Williamson – 2005
In 2005 the 76ers already had a superstar in Allen Iverson, but lacked a reliable player to compliment A.I. C-Webb was brought in to be that second banana to Iverson and make Philadelphia a contender in the East. While with the Kings, Webber was one of the best scoring big men in the league. He possessed dominant moves in the post as well as a good jump shot. Prior to coming to the Sixers, Webber was a five time NBA All-Star. He, at times, was reliable as a scorer, but lacked the consistency to truly be productive as he fell terribly short of the high expectations placed upon him. He seemed unmotivated to improve his game, and quickly fell out of favor with the fans and the organization. In 2007, he was waived by the Sixers ending his short lived, disappointing tenure in Philly.
1. (As part of a 4 team trade) Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson for Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Nikola Vucevic, and a future 1st round pick - 2012
When the Sixers first entertained the thought of trading their (then) best player Andre Iguodala after the 2012 season, fans were hoping they would receive a boatload of talent for him. What they got was an un-athletic, lazy, injured, all around classless idiot in Andrew Bynum. Bynum was one of the best big men in the league while with the Lakers. The last time the Sixers had a dominant Center was with Mosses Malone in the 80’s, so it was easy to see why Philadelphia pulled the trigger on this trade. While Iguodala went to Denver, the Sixers also sent Maurice Harkless, Nik Vucevic, and a first rounder to the Magic to make this deal go down. In addition to Bumnum, I mean Bynum, Philadelphia also received veteran Jason Richardson - on paper, not a bad trade. What the Sixers failed to take into account was that Bynum was one year away from free agency and coming off of an injury. Instead of taking some time out of the season, playing out the year, and resigning with the team like he promised, Bynum took the whole year off and skipped town once free agency began. While he was out of action with an “injury” Bynum reinjured himself bowling and dancing. It was good he had time to relieve the stresses that come with an entire city hating you. Ultimately the Sixers traded away their best player and decent assets for an overpriced cry baby who never played a second for the team, making this the worst trade not just in the past 14 seasons, but perhaps all time for the 76ers.
What do you think about my list? Did you agree with it or was I way off? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
What do you think about my list? Did you agree with it or was I way off? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!