Your Friday Morning Roundup
The Sixers concluded their trade deadline with a couple of important moves, as well as introducing the guys acquired from the Clippers earlier in the week.
First, the team got James Ennis from the Rockets. He’ll certainly help the bench depth. They also waived Malachi Richardson.
As we all thought the Sixers would be done, they made one more big move. Markelle Fultz and all of his uncertainty is on the way to Orlando for some certain pieces. In comes Jonathan Simmons, the first round pick they gave up in the Jerami Grant deal (which could also be two seconds if it’s in the top 20 next year), and a second round pick. Elton Brand done did it.
So what does that do to the bench? It improves it a good amount. Here’s the key bench players:
- TJ McConnell
- Jonathan Simmons
- Furkan Korkmaz
- Zhaire Smith (whenever he’s good to play)
- James Ennis
- Mike Scott
- Jonah Bolden
- Boban Marjanovic
- Amir Johnson
- Justin Patton??
We know the Clippers guys will play tonight against the Nuggets, not quite sure about Jonathan Simmons or Ennis. Hopefully they do.
The Roundup:
For a minute, the Phillies had the spotlight with the surprising acquisition of catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Marlins for Jorge Alfaro, Sixto Sanchez, and Will Stewart.
The Crossed Up gang discussed the Realmuto trade. Up next (hopefully) is Harper or Machado. Or both.
The Flyers played a game, and for the first time in nine, they lost. They did get a point as they fell to the Kings 3-2 in a shootout. Jake Voracek scored with 18 seconds left to give the Flyers at least a point in the losing effort. It probably won’t be discussed on Mike Missanelli’s show.
Up next, the team hosts Anaheim for a Saturday afternoon matinee at 1 PM.
In goalie news, Brian Elliott could be close to coming back.
There might be a problem if the Eagles want to trade Nick Foles. According to Mike Florio, if the Birds place the franchise tag on the QB and trade him, it’d violate the CBA.
Second, Foles and his agents should challenge the franchise tag, if it’s applied. Article 4, Section 8, subsection (b) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement states as follows: “A Club extending a Required Tender must, for so long as that Tender is extended, have a good faith intention to employ the player receiving the Tender at the Tender compensation level during the upcoming season.” If the Eagles would simply be tagging Foles to trade him, Foles should invoke this provision and fight the tag, via an expedited grievance that would be resolved before the start of free agency.
What could the Eagles say in response? Whatever it is, Foles should force them to try to come up with something other than what their strategy for the tag would apparently be: A placeholder aimed at getting the Eagles a draft pick now instead of a compensatory pick later. If the Eagles attempt with the straight face to argue that this isn’t the plan, Foles should use this ESPN report as the starting point for a scorched-earth effort to review text messages and emails to determine whether and to what extent the Eagles have spoken to other teams about a tag and trade.
Yes, the Eagles have the right under the rules to tag Foles. But unless they truly intend to employ Foles at the amount of the tag for 2019, they’re abusing the rules. Is that how the Eagles should be showing gratitude to the quarterback who delivered the team’s only Super Bowl championship?
That’s a question Foles and his agents should be asking now, as the Eagles finalize their strategy. With so many people seemingly accepting the idea that the Eagles have every right to tag and trade Foles, the sooner Foles and his agents make sure everyone realizes that: (1) the strategy isn’t appropriate; and (2) Foles will fight it, the more likely the Eagles will possibly decide to do the right thing and let Foles hit the open market.
Anthony Davis will play for the Pelicans for the rest of the season.
