Get Rid of Willie Green and the Sixers are Set

Sixers trade Steven Hunter and Bobby Jones for Reggie Evans

Decent trade. Fills needs for the Sixers and the Nuggets.

Why the trade is good for the Sixers:

Hunter simply had no space on this roster when the Sixers drafted PF/C Jason Smith. Sure he had a reasonable contract for what he brought, but the Sixers DO NOT need the type of player he is. Lets face it, Steven Hunter is no complement to Samuel Dalembert. The Sixers do not need another guy who does nothing but block shots and take up a roster spot. The Sixers need a bruising power forward who can rebound, rebound and rebound. Jason Smith and Steven Hunter are practically mirror images. Although they both block shots and can run the floor, Jason Smith is much much more polished and has a better touch on offense. Steven Hunter provided excellent defense while he was here, make no mistake. He filled in admirably as a interim starter for our beloved Sixers and I hope he has a great future, he just doesn't have a spot given the emergence of Amundson and Herbert Hill. Where does the trade leave Shav? Shav may be on the way out based on his injury history and I feel the coaches favor Amundson over Randolph. My one fear going into the regular season was Bobby Jones making the team over Derrick Byars. There is no way a team can cut an SEC player of the year over a guy like Bobby Jones. With Jones gone, the 2/3 position just got a whole lot better IMO. Reggie Evans is a heck of a rebounder, exactly what we lack. I'm not quite sure the whole future Evans obtains with the Sixers, but he is the bruiser they really need. I can easily see Reggie Evans being trade bait along Andre Miller at the trade deadline. Evans will start from the first day guranteed. Either way, I don't see this trade having any effect on this upcoming season because it doesn't fix our woes on offense, but the team should be much better defensively. I absolutely LOVE what Billy King is doing to this team. He's filling a roster built on defense and rebounding, the best way to go. The way I see it, Evans will be an overpaid energy guy coming off the bench in a year or two but will not get many minutes. He'll be traded or cut in a year or two and won't have an impact with the future of this roster. He will not be starting mid season. Ricky Sanchez will never put on a Sixer uniform.

Sixers Current Starting Lineup

Andre Miller, Louis Williams
Rodney Carney, Willie Green
Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Thaddeus Young, Derrick Byars
Reggie Evans, Herbert Hill, Louis Amundson
Samuel Dalembert, Jason Smith

Why the trade is good for the Nuggets:

The Nuggets got exactly what they needed, which was pretty much the opposite of what the Sixers needed. Whereas the Sixers needed rebounding and a physical presence in the paint, the Nuggets needed a guy like Hunter who can block shots and run the floor. The Nuggets run a super uptempo style of offense and Hunter should fit right into the Nugget's offensive scheme. They needed a guy who can alter shots on defense, exactly what Steven Hunter can bring. Bobby Jones is defender which is what the Nuggets lack. He won't get playing time on the Nuggets, but he's worth a look on a team that struggled to find role players in the post season.

Overall:

I give the better grade to the Nuggets for this trade. They get a valuable player, a role player for a team that just cannot seem to find any. Hunter will jump right in and block shots, exactly what they need. The Nuggets also save some cash, Evans will battle to start for the Sixers, and will probably win the job, displaying how poor the position really is in Philadelphia. I think him and Andre Miller could develop some good chemistry together. The Sixers lack a veteren and a bruiser, and they get that with Evans. Evans is now the only rebounder on the Sixers roster and could average over 10 per game this season, no joke. More importantly the Sixers get roster space and can add one of their promising young players like Herbert Hill or Derrick Byars. Good addition by subtraction for the Sixers.

Now all that is left is for the Sixers to get rid of Willie Green, which will allow future all star Thaddeus Young and Derrick Byars to get some playing time this season. Get it done BK!

Grade for the Sixers: C plus
Grade for the Nuggets: B minus

I think fans of both teams should be pretty content about this trade.