Sixers Trade Kendall Marshall to the Utah Jazz
Written by Garrett Catalana – @GarrettCatalana
UPDATED:
With the signings of Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, and even Cat Barber, as well as the development of TJ McConnell, Sixers fans knew Kendall Marshall’s days were numbered in Philadelphia. It was just a question of when and how. Now we have that answer.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical, the Sixers have traded Marshall to the Utah Jazz for second-year center Tibor Pleiss, two future second round picks and cash. Woj also says that the Jazz plan to waive Marshall before his contract for this upcoming season was guaranteed for $2 million within the week, making Marshall a free agent. Meanwhile, Tibor Pleiss is due to make $3 million this upcoming (all-guaranteed) and $3.1 million in 2017-2018 (just $500k guaranteed).
The key to this trade is the two future second round picks and cash picked by Bryan Colangelo to add just $3 million to the payroll for a team that is still well below the salary cap floor. As Sixers Twitter will tell you, it’s very much a Sam Hinkie move. Extracting any sort of value for someone who was not going to make this roster is a plus for a GM in any sport, and Colangelo has done so in this Marshall trade. The two second rounders that the Sixers received from the Jazz are the most and least favorable of the four second round draft picks the Jazz own in the 2017 NBA Draft. The four picks are the Knicks, Pistons, Warriors, and their own. It seems likely the Warriors win finish with the best record of the four teams, but also likely they finish with the one of the best records in the NBA, so the Sixers will be selecting somewhere in the 57-60 range. Of the remaining teams, the Knicks will probably the worst record, meaning the Sixers would have the Knicks second round pick for the next five years (2017 through 2021).
Pleiss was signed by the Jazz last offseason to a three-year contract after originally being selected in the 2010 NBA Draft. Pleiss is a 7’3 German center who was largely a disappointment for the Jazz as he quickly was surpassed by Trey Lyles and Jeff Withey on the big man depth chart. Pleiss played just 12 games last season and didn’t really have a roster spot moving forward for the Jazz. The Sixers will probably waive Pleiss and pay the remaining $3.5 million that he is owed over the next two seasons. Even by cutting him, the Sixers are still $10 million below the salary cap floor. Richaun Holmes has much more upside than he does and with three other centers on the roster, there is no room on this roster for Pleiss.
All in all, this a good trade for Bryan Colangelo. He utilized his extra cap well and was able to get value for a player who he would have otherwise cut. This kind of deal would have made Sam Hinkie proud.
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Categorized:Sixers