Report: 76ers have recently discussed Carter-Williams with other teams

Since reports of the Philadelphia 76ers trying to trade Michael Carter-Williams at last year's NBA draft, there hasn't been any more trade chatter around last season's Rookie of the Year.

Until now.

Carter-Williams remains available, ESPN's Chad Ford reported Wednesday, and "several teams have had exploratory discussions with the Sixers." 

"There are some in ownership and in the front office, though not all, that don't see him as a long-term piece of the puzzle," adds Ford.

Carter-Williams is a capable playmaker and remains one of the NBA's better rebounders at the point guard position, and his length and size for a point guard make him an intriguing defensive player going forward. The biggest knock on the 23-year-old, however, is that he simply can't shoot - and he's somehow managed to shoot the ball even worse this season than he did in his rookie year.

Carter-Williams is shooting just 37 percent from the field and 24 percent from three-point range, and his abysmal effective field-goal percentage of 40.1 ranks dead last out of the 42 qualified players with a usage rate above 25.0 percent this season.

A rebuilding team giving up on the reigning Rookie of the Year doesn't seem prudent, but if the club can acquire additional assets for a player they don't value as part of their future, they have to at least look into the matter.

Of course, the risk is that the Sixers could give up on Carter-Williams while his value is low, only to see the youngster flourish elsewhere with development.