The 2012 NBA Trade Deadline is less than three hours away. The Sixers have already made a blockbuster trade, but why stop there?! Over the past six days your pals here at Liberty Ballers have provided you with exactly one scrumptious fake trade to dunk in your coffee every morning.
Re-live the madness:
Trade #1 - Jordan Farmar
Trade #2 - Derrick Favors
Trade #3 - Marcus Camby
Trade #4 - Emeka Okafor
Trade #5 - J.J. Hickson
Trade #6 - Brandon Rush and Andris Biedrins
Make the jump for your final hypothetical, in hopes that the Rod Thorn and Doug Collins read how "tough", "big" and "experienced" the trade target is and pull the trigger.
Trade #7
Sixers receive:
Hassan Whiteside (762K in '12, Unguaranteed in '13 and '14)
Sacramento 2012 2nd Round Pick
Kings receive:
Tony Battie (854K in '12)
Philadelphia 2012 1st Round Pick
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Before anyone's head explodes because I traded the Sixers' first round pick, let me explain. Unlike year's past the Sixers will be selecting in the mid-20's. Currently they're projected to pick 23rd. The Kings are projected to pick 36th overall in the second round. So, the Sixers would be moving down 13 spots and acquiring a player with upside.
Why the Sixers do it
Move down 13 spots, acquire a big man with the potential to be ridiculous shot-blocking presence inside. Whiteside is still extremely raw, and the odds he ever realizes his potential are on the low side, but he's only 22 and the talent is definitely there. A first round pick may seem like a high price to acquire an extreme-risk, high-reward talent like Whiteside, but moving from the bottom first into the second eliminates the requirement to shell out a guaranteed contract. For that reason, picks 31-35 are arguably more valuable than picks 26-30.
Also, teams looking to save money are always shopping late first round picks for cash. Best case scenario the Sixers made this trade, acquire a high-upside player and an extra second rounder and buy back into the first round if a certain player catches their eye.
Read: Hassan Whiteside Draft Profile
With DeMarcus Cousins, J.J. Hickson, Jason Thompson and Chuck Hayes, the Kings are much less desperate for a big man than the Sixers are. Whiteside is talented, so the Kings wouldn't just give him away for free. Enter: first round pick. That still might not be enough for Whiteside. I'd consider replacing Tony Battie with a better player if the Kings countered.
Why it won't happen
Way too outside-the-box-thinking for the Sixers. Tony Battie is way too "tough" to let go. Whiteside isn't a Doug Collins guy, because his attitude supposedly mirrors Marreese Speights'. At the same time, the Kings probably don't want to part with Whiteside just yet.