Furkan Korkmaz first requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers in November 2018. Now, more than five years later, his wish came true.
Korkmaz was included in a deal that sent sharpshooter Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers to the 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Pacers had reportedly shown interest in Korkmaz for several years.
Korkmaz was drafted by Philadelphia in 2016 and first played for the franchise in 2017. However, he was unsatisfied with his playing time on the team and requested he get moved before the 2018-19 season began. He said it was “really tough” for him to have that request denied.
While he eventually earned more minutes with the organization, it wasn’t the only time that he asked out.
Korkmaz also requested a trade before the 2023 NBA trade deadline. 76ers executive Daryl Morey confirmed the rumors but said the front office could not find a deal.
Also, shout-out to Korkmaz. It only took five years and multiple requests, over three different front offices, but the most polite trade request in the history of sports has finally been granted.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 8, 2024
A lot has changed in Philadelphia since Korkmaz initially asked to find a new home, but finally, he can play for a new franchise.
Hopefully, he will find the opportunities that he wanted playing for Indiana.
