Not every hypothetical deal for the Philadelphia 76ers has to be a pipe dream. With so much talent floating around in the NBA, the Sixers can find realistic trade targets all around. The Charlotte Hornets have a couple of intriguing options to keep an eye on as the 2026-2027 NBA season plays out.
As we continue to scope out some of the Sixers’ most realistic targets, it’s necessary to note that we’re not hunting for the stars–we’re looking at reserves who play specific roles. In this instance, the 76ers would be eyeing two different areas.
The obvious position of need
The Sixers allowed Andre Drummond to walk without a fight. As a result, they signed Ariel Hukporti from the New York Knicks. In order to make room for a signing, the Sixers dumped Johni Broome in a trade. The center depth behind Joel Embiid is currently Adem Bona and Hukporti.
If those two aren’t working out, the Hornets have a realistic trade piece in Ryan Kalkbrenner. The veteran center is extremely affordable, making $2.4 million for the upcoming season. It could come down to a simple swap. If the Hornets have interest in swapping out their guy with one of Hukporti/Bona, it’s a doable move. Or maybe Charlotte has eyes for Jabari Walker or Justin Edwards, adding to a different position.
Kalkbrenner brings plenty of size to the table. The 24-year-old measures 7’1″. He developed a reputation for being a quality rim protector (1.5 blocks per game), and averaged 5.5 rebounds per game last season. He isn’t among the league’s rising stretch fives, but he can score in a traditional sense, as he averaged 7.6 points on 75.3% shooting from the field.
The problem is that Kalkbrenner is another major question mark when it comes to postseason play. Being a second-year big man on a Charlotte team that just missed the playoffs, the 76ers would be banking solely on playoff projections, rather than having any evidence in their possession. This is the type of move a front office makes if they were high on the young center coming out of Creighton.
The more expensive route
Ball-handling isn’t an issue for the 76ers…Yet. Behind Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers have the rookie Labaron Philon Jr., who is billed as a point guard. There are plenty of playmakers elsewhere in Jaylen Brown and LeBron James–along with VJ Edgecombe and Anfernee Simons–who can take on some of those duties as well.
But if the 76ers feel that Philon isn’t ready and they need a seasoned point guard to come off the bench, Dennis Schroder is one of the league’s favorite movers. Mike Gansey was a part of the Cleveland front office that recently traded for Schroder, so don’t rule out the idea of him doing it again.
This is a hard deal to strike, considering Schroder is going to make $14.8 million for the upcoming season. The Sixers would almost certainly need to move on from Anfernee Simons and add several of their young prospects just to match the lone salary. A facilitator or two might be needed to get this one done.
Schroder has been in the NBA for 13 years and has suited up for nearly half the league. Clearly, finding a long-term fit has proven to be difficult, but Schroder has shown plenty of short-term value in the past.
Gansey didn’t see the best version of Schroder in last year’s playoff run. The Cavs rolled him out for 15.9 minutes per game, and he averaged 5.5 points on 38.1% shooting, along with 2.4 assists per game.
But Schroder’s postseason run with the Detroit Pistons in 2025 is a sample size the Sixers should be intrigued by. Schroder shot 49.1% from the field and 47.6% from three, averaging 12.5 points per game. He averaged 3.7 assists per game, while turning it over 1.2 times per game.
The path to Schroder is obviously a lot more difficult than Kalkbrenner’s, and the need for his position isn’t as pressing at the moment, but the veteran center seems to be forever a realistic trade candidate in the league as long as he’s still going.
76ers realistic trade targets big board
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