The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Malachi Richardson, a 2022 2nd round pick and the draft rights to Emir Preldzic for cash considerations in a trade with the Toronto Raptors, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer: Sixers acquire Malachi Richardson, Toronto’s 2022 second-round pick and the draft rights to Emir Preldzic in exchange for cash considerations in trade with the Raptors, according to sources - @PompeyOnSixers In the midst of writing this post, the Sixers published a press release making the trade official:<doc-sep>The arms race between Ben Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers and eastern conference rivals the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks has exploded in the final hours before the NBA trade deadline. The 76ers appeared to be the winners after Wednesday's frenzy (Thursday AEDT) when they picked up elite Los Angeles Clippers' forward Tobias Harris, who has been averaging 21 points and eight rebounds and shoots 43 per cent from behind the three-point line. Marc Gasol (left) has joined the Toronto Raptors. Credit:AP It gave Philadelphia an impressive All-Star laden starting five of Simmons, centre Joel Embiid, forward Jimmy Butler, sharpshooter JJ Redick and Harris. The Raptors responded on Friday (AEDT), just before the deadline, by adding one of the NBA's best big men, Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.<doc-sep>The Raptors, 76ers and Bucks all made big moves before Thursday's trade deadline. Which move most impacts the push to win the Eastern Conference? There were plenty of moves made around the league before Thursday's trade deadline came to a close. If you missed any of the transactions, we had you covered with every finalized deal that went down. Three of the top four teams in the East were extremely active in acquiring key pieces to make a push to win the conference. The Raptors brought in Marc Gasol, the 76ers traded for Tobias Harris and the Bucks added Nikola Mirotic. Our NBA.com staff debated which move was the best of the three: Gilbert McGregor (@GMcGregor21): I've got to give Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers credit where it's due. They went all in at the deadline and I'm pretty confident that it will pay off for them. The NBA is a star-driven league, and with the acquisition of Tobias Harris, the Sixers now have four players that are capable of playing at an All-Star level - the defending-champion Warriors are probably the only team that can confidently say the same. Philly beat that same team on the road just a week ago, and it did so before making a big splash. Now add Harris, who is in the midst of a career year as he's averaging 20.9 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from deep. While it might take some time to get him acclimated to his new team, they should have their chemistry in order by the time the postseason rolls around. When it comes down to winning a postseason series, you need guys that are capable of finding ways to make plays despite the other team's defensive game plans to stop them. With Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Harris and Ben Simmons each bringing a unique skill set to the offensive end, Philly will be a scary team to try and stop if it finds a way to gell in time. James McKern (@jLmcKern): I did not see the 76ers pulling this one out and huge props to them for going all in before the deadline. But the Raptors were holding pocket aces and stole the pot by adding Marc Gasol to their roster. Toronto's move to add Gasol bolsters their already impressive starting unit and while it may cause a few rotational changes, they'll only be better off as the playoffs approach. I keep going back and looking at the 76ers' move and comparing it to the Raptors and it's depth that stands out the most. The Raptors starting five is incredibly impressive (Lowry-Green-Siakam-Kawhi-Gasol) and now they add Serge Ibaka to their second unit alongside Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby. Expecting them to be active and looking to add some more shooting prowess. But the addition of Gasol gives the Raptors one of the games best passing big men who can also stretch the floor and open things up. Not to mention he's incredibly reliable in the clutch and will only help the Raptors push to claim the Eastern Conference throne. Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_): First, I just want to state the obvious that all three of these moves are fantastic for each team. But I am going to go with Nikola Mirotic to the Bucks. As it is, I don't think the Bucks are getting the respect they deserve for how well they have been playing this season. This team is perfectly moulded to the playstyle of their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and this move to acquire Mirotic couldn't be a better fit. Mirotic is averaging almost 17 points a game shooting a solid 36.8 percent clip from 3-point land. He's shooting 38.1 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 40.0 percent on open threes and playing with Giannis is only going to increase his volume of those type of shots. Between him, Brook Lopez (38.7 3P%) and Ersan Ilyasova (34.8 3P%) the Bucks will always have Antetokounmpo surrounded by bigs that can shoot the 3-ball. Oh, and his 8.3 rebounds per game already makes him the second-best rebounder on the team. So while Harris and Gasol are great fits for their future destinations, I'm riding with Mirotic to the Bucks as my favourite deadline move. Carlan Gay (@TheCarlanGay): I think the 76ers made the most intriguing move adding Tobias Harris, but the Toronto Raptors won the deadline. Losing Valanciunas will be felt by Raptors' fans but adding a vet like Marc Gasol, who's a low maintenance superstar is a huge plus. The Raps will now have the ability to role out a very stingy defensive lineup with Gasol-Siakam-Kawhi-Green-Lowry on the floor. Offensively in close games where Toronto has struggled to get shots, they now have a playmaker who thrives in the halfcourt. Gasol can stretch the floor, score in the post and pass with the best of them. All those skills are something JV just didn't have at an elite level. Marc Gasol passes 65.7 times per game -- 3rd-most in the league behind Ben Simmons and Nikola Jokic. Going to be a great facilitator in Nick Nurse's offense. Now, he has more shooters, another versatile guy in Siakam to work with, and a badass like Kawhi. I like this for Toronto - Shane Young (@YoungNBA) February 7, 2019 The 76ers trade probably has the higher ceiling, but the Raptors' move gives them what they've been missing late in games and another weapon in the postseason. Now if Toronto can hit the buyout market and secure some more shooting they may be back in the Eastern Conference driver's seat.<doc-sep>With about an hour to go before the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday, the Toronto Raptors pulled off a shocking trade to acquire three-time NBA All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Gasol, an 11-year pro, spent the entirety of his career in Memphis before Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri agreed to acquire him in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles and a second round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Toronto is planning to send Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Milles and a 2024 second-round pick to the the Grizzlies for Gasol, league sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2019 The deal came after the Milwaukee Bucks executed a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans that saw Nikola Mirotic sent to Milwaukee in exchange for Jason Smith and Stanley Johnson. As a result, both the Raptors and Bucks have also made moves to help improve their odds of competing in the Eastern Conference. Despite adding Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and James Ennis, the Sixers will still be facing stiff competition from Milwaukee and Toronto. Of the conference’s contenders, the Boston Celtics entered the final hour before the trade deadline as the only team to not make a significant addition. For the Raptors, Gasol will give the team one of the best passing centers in the league. Despite his advancing age, Gasol is currently averaging a career-high 4.7 assists per game. That Toronto was able to add another significant rotation piece at the expense of the oft-injured Valanciunas is a net-plus. Although the team will still face an uphill battle guarding the talented Joel Embiid, Gasol should be able to provide effective resistance against ‘The Process,’ along with Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam. The challenge for head coach Nick Nurse will be balancing the team’s now talented front line, which will feature three very talented players. In the end, the Raptors probably haven’t yielded much ground in their own fight to emerge from the Eastern Conference. With respect to Milwaukee, Mirotic provides the team with some much-needed shooting around a lengthy lineup that will also feature Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. Mirotic, a career 36 percent 3-point shooter, will help provide the Bucks with another veteran rotation piece that will make the team deeper and better. For many years, the Eastern Conference has been inferior to the Western Conference. However, with Harris and Gasol among the Western Conference talents that have now been traded East, the concentration of talent out West is now diminishing. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Sixers are hoping to utilize their new rotation to win the conference. It’s certainly a possible outcome, but with Toronto and Milwaukee each making moves of their own, it hasn’t become any easier.<doc-sep>
Joel Auerbach/Associated Press The Philadelphia 76ers are wheeling and dealing before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, though the team's latest move is far from a blockbuster. According to Keith Pompey of Philly.com, the Sixers have acquired Malachi Richardson, Toronto's 2022 second-round pick and the draft rights to Emir Preldzic in exchange for cash considerations in trade with the Toronto Raptors. Richardson, 23, has appeared in just 22 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 1.4 points in 4.7 minutes per contest. In his three-year career with the Sacramento Kings and Raptors, the New Jersey native is averaging 2.8 points. It's unlikely the former first-round pick out of Syracuse will play a major role for the Sixers this year, especially if they remain busy on the trade and buyout markets. Adding a second-round pick partly replenishes their draft war chest after the 76ers gave up a 2020 lottery-protected first-rounder, Miami's unprotected 2021 first-rounder and two second-rounders (Detroit's 2021 and 2023 picks) as a part of the package for Tobias Harris. As for Preldzic, he's a 31-year-old forward for Bahcesehir of the Turkish Basketball Super League. He's never appeared in an NBA game. Suffice to say, this return won't make waves like the Harris move, though the Sixers got a second-rounder out of the arrangement while Toronto cleared some cap space. Video Play Button Videos you might like More interestingly will be the next moves either the Sixers or Raptors make as the arms race in the Eastern Conference intensifies. Will Philly move on from Markelle Fultz? Will the Raptors try to get into the Anthony Davis sweepstakes or perhaps target another superstar to pair with Kawhi Leonard? Even the smallest NBA trades this time of year have the chance to be consequential.