The Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors share nearly identical records as of November 26. The former is 3-13 while the latter is 4-14.
However, the difference between their starts thus far is obvious. The Raptors came into the season knowing it was a rebuilding year. Alternatively, the Sixers came in hoping to contend for a title again.
That much was obvious when they extended Tyrese Maxey and signed Paul George to a max contract.
To say the Sixers have been disappointing thus far is putting things lightly. Their start has been downright disastrous. If they want any hope to save their season, the Raptors make sense as trade partners.
Even if they’re rebuilding, Toronto has veterans that a team with title aspirations like Philadelphia would want. One of them is Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk is a playoff-tested veteran who has helped multiple teams go on playoff runs and doesn’t have much of a place on a team like Toronto.
The following trade between the Sixers and Raptors was proposed by FanSided that would send Olynyk to Philadelphia.
Sixers receive: Olynyk and Jonathan Mogbo.
Raptors receive: KJ Martin, Kelly Oubre Jr., 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick.
Since the Sixers are in the market for a stretch big, Olynyk is about as dependable as they could ask for, knowing what he makes. However, there’s more appeal to Olynyk than that.
Olynyk is a playoff hero
It has been a while since Olynyk played for a playoff contender. The last time he played for a team that went on an extended playoff run was the Miami Heat in 2020.
Before that, though, Olynyk proved himself a playoff hero for his first team. In his last year with the Boston Celtics, Olynyk kept their playoff hopes alive in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals when he scored the most points he ever had in a playoff game to beat the Washington Wizards.
Olynyk scored 26 points, which included scoring 12 in the fourth quarter to put the Wizards’ season to bed.
If the Sixers agreed to this, there would also be some irony since Olynyk and Oubre have gotten into scuffles with each other. That was also in the same playoff series where Olynyk put up his postseason career-high.
Plus, the Sixers tend to add former Celtics, like former Celtics first-round pick Guerschon Yabusele.
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