I might talk about the trade deadline more later, I might not. Other than this and the Robin Lopez trade, this was the weirdest trade deadline vibes-wise.
Hey y’all, it’s Ian.
Three days from now marks the 34th anniversary of when Nelson Mandela, the face of the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa, was freed from the Robben Island Prison after 27 years. February 11th, 1990 is one of the most famous days in history.
So, how fitting is it that just three days before February 11th of 2024, the second most important political prisoner (Mandela being the first) of all time was freed?1
FURKAN KORKMAZ IS FINALLY FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As a self-proclaimed expert in this kind of thing, I can tell you that the dumbest and funniest and meanest thing in the NBA for, going on six years now, has been Furkan Korkmaz’s trade requests. In case you don’t know about this, Furkan Korkmaz is this really random player on the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s a non-difference maker. Over his seven years in Philadelphia, he’s averaged 6.8 points a game, 1.2 assists, 2 rebounds, in 16.6 minutes a game. He has never swung a game, nor even affected a game. He’s the closest to a NBA net zero as you can get.
But he’s so lovable and chubby, and he always looks like he got wasted the night before at an Ibiza foam party and then spent an hour getting ready for his 11 am brunch in the morning.
Truly, a perfect man.
In November 2018, it was reported that he had requested a trade from the 76ers. Here, I even found the quote from the original article (emphasis mine, credit: The Inqurier’s Keith Pompey, quote via NBC Sports):
Sources have said the Turkish player requested to be traded because of lack of playing time.
“If I’m not getting minutes here, I just want to look for other options,” he said. “I don’t know what’s the options right now, just try to be on the court.”
“I feel like I didn’t really have that opportunity,” he said of receiving a fair opportunity. “Last year, I was injured for a long time and this year just a couple of games in the garbage time. It wasn’t like good rotation minutes for me. That’s why I feel like I didn’t get that opportunity to show on the court what I got.”
And then the 76ers just…didn’t honor it. It was weird, and kinda mean. Usually, teams are pretty good about finding players other teams to play on when they ask. It wasn’t like they valued him highly - he played only 48 games that year. Then, the next year (2019-20 season), he was actually really good. He played in 72 games and averaged 9.8 ppg on 37% shooting from three. The next year? Back to 55 games. The year after that? Back up to 67. Just weird stuff.
Then, over the last two years, he’s played only 72 games. Total. It’s not like he’s been injured, he’s just…not playing. The 76ers, once again, had forgotten about him. At the 2023 trade deadline, he requested a trade again, and…nope, he wasn’t traded. Then, when James Harden was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers, he straight-up told the team, “hey, this would be a great time to trade me, you know. That would be cool.” Nope.
He was, quite literally, a prisoner.
I say was because today, February 8th, 2024, at the NBA’s trade deadline, one of the greatest days in history, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers made a trade. A glorious, wonderful trade. Buddy Hield was traded from the Pacers to the 76ers for Marcus Morris, a few second round picks, and yes, Furkan Korkmaz.
What a beautiful day. We dance in the streets, because Big Furk is free.
I’d be suprised if ever he plays a game for Indiana. He sucks.
-Ian