Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Sixers' Morey: 'Going to have a lot of changes'

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Monday, 06 May 2024 14:41

CAMDEN, N.J. -- Say goodbye to the Philadelphia 76ers.

No, not Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey is sticking around, too. Nick Nurse seems like a perfect long-term fit as coach.

But for the rest of the Sixers? It's time to pretty much wish them well, with just about the entire team -- players such as Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry and Nic Batum -- ending the season on an expired contract.

Team president Daryl Morey this summer has about $65 million in salary cap space, a first-round draft pick, a max contract to offer to Maxey and plenty of questions to solve on how to finally, truly build an NBA championship contender around Embiid.

"We're not going to have continuity," Morey said Monday at the 76ers' headquarters in New Jersey. "We'll have continuity with our stars and our head coach, but we're going to have a lot of changes this season."

The Sixers' first-round exit against the Knicks made it 41 years since their last NBA championship. The Sixers haven't even advanced out of the second round since 2001. It's time to start over -- this time with a championship chase, not a Process.

"We're focused on Joel and Tyrese and we're focused on now," Morey said.

The 76ers have money to spend. But will they aim high for an aging player such as Paul George? What about a wild-card play at LeBron James?

James and George would have to decline player options to hit the market. Nurse won a championship in Toronto with Pascal Siakam and was an assistant coach with the Raptors when DeMar DeRozan was on the team. Both players are free agents and could be a nice fit in Philly.

"You have to factor in the age," Morey said. "We feel like we're in the window where we have to win now. We're mostly focused on getting the best players that fit with Joel and Tyrese."

Embiid will be 30 next season and expecting the All-Star center to miss a significant chunk of playing time because of injuries is an unfortunate rite of the season for the Sixers.

Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and was limited to 39 in 2023-24 in large part because of knee surgery. The 76ers finished 31-8 in the regular season with Embiid -- about a 65-win pace -- and 16-27 without him.

"I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so that we were in a better spot to win without him," Morey said. "That said, we do spend 90 percent of the time figuring out how to win the title with him. It can't be a big focus, how we play without him. We know that team can't win a championship. It's really, how do we manage through it better? I felt like, on me, the depth wasn't quite there when he was out to win at the level we wanted to win at."

While the Sixers and their fans might wish Embiid would take a summer off to rest, he is set to play for USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics. The 76ers won't stand in Embiid's way.

"It's a dream of his to represent the United State in the Olympics," Morey said. "I think it's important to support the dreams of your best player."

With the Sixers in win-now mode, a string of solid seasons usually has them drafting toward the mid to late first round. Maxey in 2020 was the last draft pick who made any kind of impact.

The 76ers are scheduled to pick 16th and also hold the 41st overall pick in the second round. While the draft quality has been knocked for having little depth, Morey said he's fine with staying at 16.

"We don't really focus on the draft for help now," Morey said. "I do really love 16. The storylines have been that the draft is worse. I don't see that at all. I'm very excited at who's at 16. That said, as you might expect, we have all options on the table. Trade into the future so we keep more picks available for future trades."

Maxey's career skyrocketed this season with his first All-Star berth, the NBA's Most Improved Player award and a season-extending 46-point effort in a Game 5 playoff win in New York.

"We should all learn not to bet against Tyrese," Morey said.

He is a restricted free agent, meaning the 76ers could match any offer extended to the personable guard. Maxey is eligible to get a five-year, $205 million contract.

"A year ago, if we had polled everyone in the media or the GMs, it wouldn't have been unanimous that Tyrese could take that step forward that we hoped he could," Morey said.

"This offseason is a big one. I owe it to the fans, to ownership, to everybody, to get this team in a place where we're competing for championships. We obviously didn't achieve it this year."

Read 111 times

Soccer

NL quarterfinal draw: Spain to face Netherlands

NL quarterfinal draw: Spain to face Netherlands

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe draw for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals was made on Frid...

Premier League injury and suspension news, predicted lineups, fantasy updates

Premier League injury and suspension news, predicted lineups, fantasy updates

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFind out who is missing through injury, who's in a race against tim...

Premier League changes APT rules after City case

Premier League changes APT rules after City case

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Premier League has announced changes to its Associated Party Tr...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Pistons' Cunningham exits vs. Hornets after fall

Pistons' Cunningham exits vs. Hornets after fall

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Detroit guard Cade Cunningham left Thursday nigh...

George has bone bruise, to miss at least 2 games

George has bone bruise, to miss at least 2 games

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPhiladelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise in his left k...

Baseball

Ohtani 'slowly ramping up' in post-surgery rehab

Ohtani 'slowly ramping up' in post-surgery rehab

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani is in the early stages of rehabbing fr...

City OKs, then reverses $23M to fix Rays' stadium

City OKs, then reverses $23M to fix Rays' stadium

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The St. Petersburg City Council reversed co...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated