The Case for the Philadelphia 76ers Trading Michael Carter-Williams
As the Philadelphia 76ers have become synonymous with asset allocation, the spotlight casting glare on point guard Michael Carter-Williams has grown increasingly brighter.
Operating in a lifeless offense that ranks dead last in offensive rating (90.7), according to NBA.com, Carter-Williams' flaws have become magnified. With the reigning Rookie of the Year, that means harsh regression has been met with a combination of intense disappointment and scrutiny.
"Right now, we struggle so severely offensively and shooting is our No. 1 Achilles heel," head coach Brett Brown said, according to The Intelligencer's Tom Moore. "The deflation and how it impacts our defense is undeniable. The development thing we're talking about takes time."
During a fruitful rookie campaign, it was permissible to let Carter-Williams' many inefficiencies fly under the radar as fleeting sources of optimism were latched onto throughout a trying 2013-14 season. But it would be silly to ignore his lack of proficiency in catch-and-shoot situations, as a pull-up weapon or even as a finisher at the rim.
And while it's easy to get trapped and marvel at per-game averages of 14.9 points, 7.4 assists, 6.3 rebounds and label him a Swiss army knife of sorts, Carter-Williams hasn't displayed advanced competency in any one area of his game.
Think the assist numbers are respectable? Well, they're actually cringe-worthy given the accompanying tallies. Although his average has increased by more than a single dime from last season, Carter-Williams is also committing a league-worst 4.5 turnovers per night.
In league history, only seven players have ever committed at least 4.5 turnovers over the course of a single season. The last to do so—coincidentally—was Allen Iverson with the Sixers in 2004-05, according to Basketball-Reference.
So here we have a careless ball-handler who's shooting 37.3 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from three while knocking down 24.2 percent of his pull-up jumpers, per NBA.com.
However, Carter-Williams' length has proved to be at least moderately difference-making on defense compared to those other toxic figures. To that point, the Sixers have posted a defensive rating of 99.4 with him on the floor. In the 735 minutes he's been on the bench, Philadelphia has recorded a defensive rating of 108.8, 5.1 points worse than the team's season-long mark, per NBA.com.
While stingy defense has guided the Sixers to respectability in some sectors, Carter-Williams' inability to create easy looks at the rim or make defenders pay for going under screens caps his upside.
Although it would be a stretch to say Carter-Williams possessed exponentially more trade value last season, his stock has unquestionably dipped in tandem with an untimely sophomore slump.
| 2013-14 | 16.7 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 3.5 | 40.5 | 26.4 | 15.5 |
| 2014-15 | 14.9 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 4.5 | 37.3 | 22.6 | 11.3 |
But even if there were a market for his services, what would it look like? Point guard is the deepest position in the league, and a floor general with a year on Kyrie Irving who possesses a far less appealing and limited arsenal of tricks can't exactly be considered a hot commodity.
As Grantland's Zach Lowe discussed in October, the Sixers put out trade feelers over the summer in hopes of capitalizing on their point guard's seemingly peak trade value:
"They tried hard during the draft, but they couldn’t draw the trove they envisioned or guarantee that the player they wanted with an acquired pick would be there, per several league sources. Expect Philly to repeat the exercise. It’s not a shot at Carter-Williams, or even a signal that the Sixers are dying to trade him. He may well end up a long-term cog in Philly.
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Which is where a less restrained and entirely more reckless paint dweller like Tony Wroten serves as an interesting counterweight on Philadelphia's figurative scale of basketball justice.
Despite the fact that he's nearly matched Carter-Williams with four turnovers per game and the league's worst assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30) among guards, per ESPN.com, Wroten's bought in to Brown's supposed efficient offensive tenets.
Like most Sixers players, Wroten has been artificially designed to avoid mid-range jumpers at all costs in the name of getting to the hoop or jacking threes. Subsequently, Wroten has attempted 218 shots in the restricted area and is making 56 percent of said shots. He's also totaled 37 shots in the paint (non-restricted area) and seven from mid-range (missing all seven) while hurling 130 threes toward the rim at a 26.4 percent clip.
Unlike Carter-Williams, though, Wroten is a major defensive liability. When he's running the point, Philadelphia posts a defensive rating of 107.4. On the flip side, the offense scores 2.6 points more per 100 possessions with Wroten on the floor, according to NBA.com.
Even with those negative qualities in mind, fringe contenders appear to be more intrigued by Wroten's potential offerings as a reserve spark plug.
Specifically, the Los Angeles Clippers have expressed interest in Wroten's services with the Feb. 19 trade deadline just over a month away, according to the Orange County Register's Dan Woike:
CSNPhilly.com's John Gonzalez added the following: "According to a league source, the conversation is in preliminary stages. It’s unclear what the Clippers would offer (or what the Sixers would want) for Wroten, but they were interested enough in the point guard to inquire."
Wroten has also openly admitted that the state of the franchise is conducive to personnel changes at a moment's notice.
"You pretty much know that it’s going to happen, especially on this team," Wroten said, per Gonzalez. "A lot of change. A lot of new faces. But it’s part of the business. You have to cherish the moment as best you can."
In reality, neither Wroten nor Carter-Williams is going to fetch a king's ransom. They're both too raw and too unpredictable. But the volatility that consumes Carter-Williams' game at 23 years old is far less palatable than that which defines Wroten at 21. And if a change of scenery allows Carter-Williams the opportunity to reinvent himself in a more structured environment, it may be what's best for the long-term success of both parties.
Selling low on a reigning Rookie of the Year can be a risky proposition if not a wholly unpopular one. In this case, though, it may be the most sensible move for a team that can't afford to watch its celebrated youngsters crash and burn in the midst of a rebuild dependent upon gradual success.
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