Daryl Morey reveals 76ers' 'biggest need' in 2024 offseason

06/05/2024 22:20

CAMDEN, NJ — The Philadelphia 76ers are in for a big summer. Team president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said so himself in his exit interview for the 2023-24 season. The Sixers will have "a lot of change this offseason," he said.

Starting with the James Harden trade, Morey cleared most of the cupboard aside from stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and head coach Nick Nurse. The team has a few other smaller contracts but is mostly barren by design around the two stars. With the new collective bargaining agreement kicking in, Morey wants to get the right squad in place and open up a window of consistent championship contention.

Morey named Embiid, Maxey, Ricky Council IV and Paul Reed — who he pointed to as the Sixers’ "good core of young players" but do have non-guaranteed contracts that make them easy to move if needed — as the only players they know will be back next season. In his view, the cost of continuity now will hopefully pay for a group of players that spend years fighting for championships together.

While the team does have a level of interest in all 10 of its unrestricted free agents, Morey knows that they won't all return. Others will get scooped up by other teams but plenty more will be passed up in favor of upgrades at their position. Morey didn't give away too many specifics when discussing what the Sixers need. But he did name one specific archetype Philly could use.

"Someoneat the wing who canplayanddeliverata high level in the playoffs," Morey said. "That’s thebiggestneed."

76ers plan to target wing in 2024 offseason

On the most basic level, a wing is exactly the right position to complement a star center and star guard. To win in the NBA, teams need to have players that can handle the opponent's best player — many of which are a wing or a very big guard — and provide size, mobility and skill sets that mesh. Good wings play a gigantic role in how high a team can soar.

For the Sixers, it just so happens that a number of high-profile wings will either hit the open market or potentially be made available for trade. Rumors linking them to a number of them have already started trickling in and should continue.

Paul George did not sign a max contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and could look to secure his payday on a different team that offers him a chance to compete. The same goes for Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. Concerns about how each player will age, though, would make the addition of either a tricky one.

Miami Heat president Pat Riley said that Jimmy Butler will not be made available for trade but did take issue with his lack of availability and public call-out of teams still in the playoffs. Butler’s friendship with Embiid makes a potential Philly reunion sound possible.

That lack of availability, though, seemingly makes a second stint with the Sixers less likely for Butler. Morey said that the stretch during the season where Embiid was sidelined with injury was "tough" and vowed to do a better job of helping the team win without him. A player who hasn't played 70 games in a season since 2016-17 doesn't appear to be a big help in that regard, especially because his fit with Embiid is wonky given his inability to consistently space the floor.

LeBron James has certainly played at a high level in the playoffs before. He and Maxey have a camaraderie and the Sixers could fulfill his wish of playing alongside his son by selecting him in the draft. But even for a player as great as him, the question remains of how much longer he will be an elite player.

The New Orleans Pelicans may soon have to make a decision about whether to keep Brandon Ingram since his contract expires after next season. If they prioritize paying him, that could mean young 3-and-D wing Trey Murphy III becoming more expendable.

The degree of how well those names fit with Embiid and Maxey and whether they can be trusted in the playoffs is for the 76ers to decide. If they're going to give out a big contract, they have to consider how it will impact the way the team performs and can be built when Maxey hits his prime in a few years. While it appears Philly is making the shape of a star to fit its next roster, Morey kept his options open.

"We’re mostly focused on gettingthebestplayersthatfitwithJoel andTyrese," Morey said. With the 76ers in a win-now window, age and whether the player is more of a star or a role player do factor in but are not the ultimate defining factors on whether Morey will pursue them. "We’re focused on getting the best players within the CBA constraints," he said.

Will 76ers re-sign Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr.?

The max contract that Tobias Harris signed back in 2019 is over. He will hit unrestricted free agency after one of the worst contract years in recent history, often looking unplayable, even against the teams in the doldrums of the league, and contributing very little of note in the Sixers’ first-round loss to the New York Knicks save for a solid showing in Game 5.

"Tobiasforsure can be a contributingplayer on a contender," Morey said. He didn't comment specifically on Harris returning, reiterating that the team has interest in all of its free agents, but did provide some context that they're going to be very selective with the contracts they bring in.

"You’re always trying to fit in as many good, solid players as you can given the CBA bucket that we’re given. It’s really not, 'Does this player help?' It’s, 'Does this player help within the context of the CBA at whatever number they’re at [and] what constraints that creates for other positions you might want to help?"

Harris being a run-of-the-mill player on such a massive contract made it hard for the 76ers to build around their stars. Morey’s message seems to be that being cost-effective is of the utmost importance with a new CBA that levies harsher punishments against its biggest spenders. If Harris is back in Philly, it doesn't seem likely that he’ll be on another max contract.

Conversely, Kelly Oubre Jr. joined on a minimum contract a week before training camp and played a sizable role both as a starter and reserve.

"He was just such a breath offreshair,playedso hard, won over thecity — whichisn’t easy — gave us really,reallykeyminutesin the regularseasonin the playoffs," Morey said. "He’s definitely someone that we have interest in."

Oubre’s size and athleticism made him a great change of pace from previous role players that surrounded Embiid. He served as an excellent rough draft for the type of role players Philly needs: athletic guys who can guard multiple positions and feel comfortable shooting the open shots created by Maxey and Embiid. Still, inconsistent players like Oubre shouldn't be counted on so heavily.

Council could very well be the type of athlete off the bench the Sixers need. On top of being just 23 years old at the start of next season, he’s a great athlete on the wing who is comfortable attacking defense and getting to the foul line. He played much more than anyone thought he would in his rookie campaign, though that doesn't guarantee him a rotation spot next year.

Morey said that certain players "almosthavenochance" to play in their rookie years, especially if they're undrafted. One key step is to prove they can hang in the G League, which Council did. The sophomore season is all about trying to "give the coach a reason to play you, ’cause you’re probably not gonna play a whole lot even in your second year." Morey offered defense as a calling card for Council.

In his exit interview, Council discussed a desire to be as versatile as possible and learn from a myriad of players. Especially because he’s on such a cheap contract that covers the next three seasons, the 76ers would be wise to ensure his development progresses soundly.

While Morey knows that the Sixers need more high-level contributors, he took pride in his and his front office’s ability to scour the league and find unique options.

"Ilikehaving the challenge," Morey said. "To me findingthe guys who overlooked — the Kelly Oubresof the world — getting a Kyle Lowry,gettingplayers like that. I likethatchallenge. I think that’ssomething that the frontofficeisvery good at."

With how much flexibility the 76ers have, Morey has given himself a whole bunch of challenges to navigate in the 2024 offseason. The results of his love for the team-building grind will be a key topic throughout this NBA offseason.

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