Danny Granger traded to 76ers for Evan Turner in stunning deadline deal

Much has been made of the Philadelphia 76ers’ payroll this year, or rather, the lack of it. It has been so unique a situation that it merits and attracts constant comment, something to which we have all been susceptible. I covered the situation a few months ago, trying above all to convey one important point: It doesn’t really matter and has never really mattered.

The issue is now closed, and closed with some emphasis. Regardless of their need to meet it, doubts about the Sixers ability and desire to fulfill the salary floor requirement were put to bed Thursday with a series of trades that seem to take on a significant amount of salary. In separate deals with the Wizards, Clippers, Pacers and Cavaliers, the 76ers traded away Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen in exchange for Eric Maynor, Byron Mullens, Danny Granger, Earl Clark and multiple second-round picks. The outbound players combine for a $16,339,867 cap number, while the incoming combine for $21,235,695. The cap space got used, and the floor got met.

It is of note that the picks are second-rounders, not firsts. NBA teams are too risk adverse to give first-round picks away now. And of all the teams to be risk averse about overpaying with picks, Cleveland must rank quite highly. The Luol Deng trade has gone so badly that Cleveland was said to have been looking into re-trading him immediately, despite being only six weeks removed from trading a protected first-rounder, two second-rounders and a right to swap first-round draft picks for him. The Cavaliers traded this package for Deng on the assumption (or hope) that they could extend or re-sign him, yet with that chance already looking extremely unlikely, they put him back on the market. They weren’t making that mistake again.