Report: Sixers Seeking Wing Shooter, Center

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a tough 12-game stretch against teams at the .500 mark and above. So far, they’ve posted a 2-1 record against the Pacers, Thunder and Rockets. As the season continues on, the Sixers’ depth remains a concern for the playoffs.

Acquiring a player or two to boast bench offense and defense is the goal and according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Philadelphia is looking for two things. One being a wing player that can shoot. The other? A back-up big man for Joel Embiid.

The 76ers are scouring the market for a wing shooter and center, league sources said.

Philly has Corey Brewer on a 10-day contract and might bring him back for another, but he doesn’t provide a whole lot of mid-range scoring. He’s a pesky defender, though, so it seems likely he’ll stick around for now. Behind Embiid, Jonah Bolden has been getting the bulk of minutes, but it would be surprising to see the Sixers feel confident to go into the playoffs with Bolden as the guy.

The Sixers have been linked to a number of guys over the past few weeks, but the Atlanta Hawks stand out as a team that has a few guys that could help them out down the stretch. Atlanta is gauging the market for some of their vets in addition to third-year forward Taurean Prince.

The Hawks have engaged with teams on veteran players Kent Bazemore and Dewayne Dedmon, but also have discussed forward Taurean Prince, league sources said. In his third season, Prince is averaging 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds.

While Bazemore might not make a great fit for Philly this season, both Dedmon and Prince would be strong additions. In one of my recent columns for PhillyFrontOffice.net, I scouted some of the Hawks players at a recent game.

Dedmon is on an expiring contract and has been shooting well from beyond, posting a 38.2 percent mark. He averages 10.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Atlanta.

Prince, 24, is signed through the 2019-20 season at just over $3.4 million and would likely cost a first-round pick to acquire if you’re the Sixers. He’s posting averages of 13.9 points and four rebounds while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor this season.

Who the Sixers acquire before or after the trade deadline remains to be seen, but there’s no questioning that they’ll need some additions off the bench if they hope to go further in the NBA playoffs.