Philadelphia is trading big man Spencer Hawes to the reeling Cavs for, primarily, two second-round picks, according to Yahoo! Sports. Because of the big man’s salary ($6.5 million), Cleveland must include enough salary to match before the deal is official.
Hawes has been productive for the 76ers this year, averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds a game as a big man capable of stepping out and making jump shots. Philly, for as surprising as they started the season, is all-in for tanking, and at 15-40, sporting a league-worst minus-10.5 point differential, they have a legitimate chance to land the top pick in this summer’s draft–a pick that would go to Boston if the Sixers somehow made the playoffs. Not only was Hawes helping them to win this year, he’ll also be an unrestricted free agent this summer. In all likelihood, with Nerlens Noel‘s debut some time on the horizon, Hawes wasn’t in Philly’s long-term plans.
Even in Cleveland, where they’re mustering whatever they can to make a playoff run this year, he may be just a rental. But in the short term, he’ll help a team recovering from Andrew Bynum‘s premature departure and Anderson Varejao‘s sore back. Hawes, for all his faults, immediately makes them better up front and will be a viable replacement this year should the team trade Tyler Zeller.
What do you think of this trade?
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