NBA Philadelphia 76ers

Getting Rid of Tony Wroten Would Be Big Mistake For Philadelphia 76ers

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By @papreps

tony wroten, philadelphia 76ers, trade rumors,

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

No one likes to set the tempo like Tony Wroten of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Wroten is a zero-to-60 guy in less than six seconds and that’s precisely why a young team needs a guy like that and should keep him. Wroten was the catalyst for the Sixers in a 93-92 win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night, their second win in as many nights. He led all Sixers scorers with 20 points, but he was more important than that because he brought the ball up most of the night at full speed against a tired Pacers team.

Earlier in the week, the Los Angeles Clippers inquired about the availability of Wroten and the Sixers were noncommittal. They should remain that way. Wroten is a rarity in the NBA, a 6-foot-6 point guard with a good handle who can also play the No. 2 just as well. If the Sixers want to compete the rest of the season and get as many wins as they can, this is one guy they have to keep. He’s the perfect complement to young players like Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams, a guy who can dribble, penetrate and either kick the ball out to Carter-Williams for the three or pass off to Noel underneath for a dunk.

Wroten has played 27 games this season. He averages 17.2 points, 5.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals. He’s shooting 40.8 percent from the floor, 26.2 percent from three and 67.3 percent from the line. His three-point and free-throw percentages aren’t good for a guard, but they represent improvement on what he mustered last year when he shot an abysmal 21.3 percent from distance and 64.1 percent from the line. His field-goal percentage is slightly down from last year’s mark of 42.7 percent.

The Clippers are offering a second-round pick for him and the Sixers should say thanks but no thanks. First, the Sixers have 15 second-round picks between now and 2020. They do not need another. Second, Wroten brings an exciting style of play now, one they would lose without him.

Sure, the Clippers could use a guy like that, but for a team that could go either way like the Sixers, he is a keeper. Wroten stole the ball and went ahead of the pack and threw the ball high off the glass for a K.J. McDaniels dunk that made the score 84-77 with 8:30 left in the game. As statements go, that’s as strong as it gets for the Sixers this season and pretty much sealed the win.

If the Sixers want more of those sooner than later, they would be wise to keep him.

Mike Gibson is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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