February 18, 2016
Unlike the last two NBA trade deadlines, the Philadelphia 76ers weren’t really involved in any fireworks. It was a quiet deadline across the league compared to the last two years, but Sam Hinkie and Jerry Colangelo appear to have made a small deal at the buzzer.
First reported by Yahoo Sports, the Sixers acquired center Joel Anthony and a second-round pick from the Houston Rockets for the rights to Chukwudiebere “Chu Chu” Maduabum.
The Rockets sending center Joel Anthony to the Sixers, a source told Yahoo Sports.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) February 18, 2016
Philadelphia will receive a future second-round pick to take on Anthony and his contract, sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 18, 2016
To be clearer: Anthony goes to Sixers through Houston, who acquired him from Detroit in 3-player trade. Rockets ship out second-round pick.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 18, 2016
The #sixers are sending the rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum as part of the Joel Anthony trade.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 18, 2016
Anthony, who makes $2.5 million this season and has a non-guaranteed contract next year, will likely be waived after the Sixers open up a roster spot for him. The pick, via multiple sources, will be the Denver Nuggets’ 2017 second-round pick.
7:00 p.m. update: The player that was waived is JaKarr Sampson, per the Sixers. According to the Inquirer, Sampson's absence could be fairly brief:
The Sixers want to resign JaKarr Sampson after he clears waivers, according to a league source.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) February 18, 2016
There are financial implications that likely drove this move. By some rough math using Basketball Insiders, the Sixers’ total salary now stands at $62.8 million, just shy of the $63 million salary floor. As was the case with Thomas Robinson last year, there is an incentive for the Sixers to reach that salary floor as late in the season as possible.
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