With the Finals underway, answers will come soon in the Sixers’ offseason prospects originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
This Sixers offseason is not short on possibilities.
As president of basketball operations Daryl Morey acknowledged last month, everything from gargantuan home runs to far less satisfying results seems plausible.
“I think there is a chance that all the balls will rise and they will all fall,” Morey said in his end-of-season press conference. “And everyone is going to be mad, and that’s okay. But what we definitely cannot do in this situation is hurt ourselves. … The main mistake that can be made that we won’t make is if some of the best options don’t go our way — trading at our cap hit, free agents, turning our draft picks into things … if all those things don’t happen. To get what we want, we are definitely not going to just sign a player for a lot of money who is just a good player.
“That’s when we can’t continue to build a competitor around Joel (Embiid) and Tyrese (Maxey). So in these scenarios, we will make shorter trades and then use our draft picks to prepare for trades or the next opportunity when it arises. We want to open every door to become a contender, but we can’t close every future door unless we think the change we’re making can (make the team) the best in the East at least.”
The Celtics, with 64 wins, were comfortably the best team in the Eastern Conference this year. They kicked off the 2024 NBA Finals on Thursday night with a Game 1 win over the Mavs.
The Sixers, however, are waiting for the formal start of summer action. Once the finals are over, teams will be able to negotiate with their own free agents this offseason under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. We’ll soon see exactly how the Sixers approach this window with actors like Nicolas Batum, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry who fit perfectly alongside their All-Star duo.
“We have interest in virtually all of our free agents,” Morey said. “It’s just that we’re definitely not going to bring them all back; It’s just the reality of the league.”
Next on the calendar is this year’s two-day NBA Draft, June 26th and 27th. The Sixers have the Nos. 16 and 41 picks, but Morey is never sure when selecting prospects and is always willing to trade. He has made three significant trades during draft night since joining the Sixers, adding Danny Green, Seth Curry and De’Anthony Melton.
The complete lack of players under contract and Morey’s open-ended, star-hunting style means few hypotheses are outlandish.
If the Bulls are finally a little more open to selling, could the Sixers acquire an all-defensive guard in Alex Caruso? Could Brandon Ingram or another type of high-scoring No. 3 option end up in Philadelphia? What will come of Sixers’ widely publicized interest in Paul George, who hasn’t gotten the extension offer they wanted from the Clippers yet? Will the Sixers be able to land one signature without a star or two?
In a month, the roster won’t just be Embiid, Maxey and question marks.
Sixes must map out good potential responses and be ready for anything. They need to improve significantly later another playoff exit early in the roundWhatever it is.
“I think the stories about winning in this league… I’ve been around a long time,” Morey said. “I know there was a time when pitching teams couldn’t win. Recently, you couldn’t have big wins. Now, the story is that you need to be big to win.
“The reality is you need really good players, you need players that are better than your opponents, and there’s really no formula.”
