Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest issue last season was shooting, but that shouldn’t be a problem in 2020/21. After previously acquiring sharpshooter Danny Green from Oklahoma City Thunder, the 76ers now added another elite marksman.
The team announced on Wednesday that they have acquired guard Seth Curry from Dallas Mavericks in exchange for forward Josh Richardson and No. 36 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The pick was used to draft Colorado’s forward Tyler Bey later that night.
Speaking about the trade, Philly’s new president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters that he believes getting a shooter like Curry will help the team’s All-Stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid unlock their full potential.
“Having a truly gravity elite shooter really changes the dynamic for Ben and Joel,” said Morey. “When Joel and Ben have had that, it’s actually insane how good those lineups and how good those teams played when everyone was healthy.”
Seth Curry, who is coincidentally son-in-law of 76ers’ head coach Doc Rivers, has been one of the best shooters from three-point range in the history of the league percentage-wise. Curry is currently ranked second with 44.3 career-percentage from deep, ranking only behind Steve Kerr’s 45.4 percent.
Curry has been especially efficient last season when he shot career-high 45.2 from behind the three-point arc while averaging 12.4 points in 64 games.
Dallas, on the other hand, is expected to benefit on the defensive end of the ball. The team had one of the best offenses in the league last season but struggled defensively. With Josh Richardson, a long and athletic wing, they should immediately improve in that department.
Richardson, who arrived in Philly in a Jimmy Butler deal from Miami Heat last season, averaged 13.7 points and 3.2 rebounds for 76ers in 2019/20.
