76ers trade intel: Could it be a quiet trade deadline in Philadelphia?

Despite his potential availability, the Philadelphia 76ers aren't expected to pursue a trade for Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, according to a league source. As a result, a reunion between Siakam and former Raptors coach Nick Nurse appears unlikely.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine can also be added to the list of players the Sixers aren't expected to be interested in, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

"Philadelphia is routinely tossed out there as a likely trade bidder for Chicago's Zach LaVine or Toronto's Pascal Siakam, but a source with knowledge of the team's thinking told me again this week that the Sixers should not be expected to pursue either player between now and Feb. 8," Stein wrote.

The Sixers were mentioned as a potential suitor for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, but the sheer size of his contract makes such a deal seem unlikely from Philadelphia's perspective, given that maintaining future financial flexibility has been a priority for Philadelphia's front office.

Murray signed a four-year, $120 million extension with Atlanta in July that begins next season. That contract keeps him on the books through 2026-27, at least, and also includes a player option for the '27-28 season.

The Hawks traded for Murray less than two years ago, and they paid a pretty penny to acquire him from the San Antonio Spurs. They gave up multiple first-round picks and a pick swap to bring him to Atlanta.

Given all they gave up to get him, Atlanta's asking price for Murray will probably be very high -- likely higher than what Philadelphia would want to part with.

Plus, would Murray truly elevate Philadelphia's ceiling for the next few seasons? And, is he an ideal fit next to Tyrese Maxey, who has established himself as an untouchable piece of the puzzle in Philly? Maybe, but that's something the Sixers would want to be pretty sure about before making such a major commitment.

"Patience" is the word you hear and read a lot when it comes to the Sixers' current approach to roster improvement, and that seems unlikely to change in the near future.

"No major move appears imminent in Philadelphia," the league source said.

That could technically change in the month-plus leading up to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8. But as of now, a couple of smaller, ancillary moves seems like a [much] more likely scenario than some sort of blockbuster.

Fans are ancy, but there's a chance that the deadline could be a relatively quiet one for Philadelphia.

If an appealing major move presents itself in the next month, the Sixers have an asset base and the future salary cap space to jump on it. But, that space will be there this summer, too.

Thanks to the Maxey's monumental growth and the continued brilliance of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, the Sixers are contenders in the Eastern Conference as currently constructed. They might need to make a move to put them over the top this season, but they don't want to make that move at the expense of the future.

It's not necessarily an easy position to be in, but it's exactly why Daryl Morey is paid so handsomely for his decision-making prowess. It will be very interesting to see what decisions he makes regarding Philadelphia's roster in the coming weeks, and months.

Follow Michael Kaskey-Blomain on X @therealmikekb.