NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic

Will the Atlanta Hawks send Jeff Teague (0) to Philadelphia? (Reinhold Matay | USA TODAY Sports)

At some point in the near future, the Sixers will likely make a big trade using a big piece. With a roster than includes three high-profile former lottery pick centers (Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor), swapping one--or two--out for a guard or wing player could help spur a major turnaround in Philadelphia.



Is that player Atlanta Hawks point guard Jeff Teague?

According to a report from Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers contacted the Hawks about Teague and his back-up, point guard Dennis Schroder:





The source said the Sixers have not made a trade offer for either of the two. Mutliple league sources said they don't expect the Sixers to make a serious push for one of the point guards before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

That's because centers Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor have the biggest trade value on the team. As a result, teams have been calling about those two. However, the Sixers don't want to part ways with either until they know if Joel Embiid, a third center, will be healthy enough to play.



While no trade seems imminent or likely to happen because of the difficultly in evaluating what the Sixers have right now, this is the second time in two weeks that Philadelphia has inquired about a big-time talent. Last week, rumors connected them to Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin.

Teague, a 2015 NBA All-Star selection, is averaging over 15 points per game for the second straight season. He's set to be a free agent after the 2016-17 season.



Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

