PHILADELPHIA — It’s been more than a month since 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and coach Doc Rivers sat together inside the team’s training complex in Camden to publicly express their disappointment about another second-round playoff exit — and to re-emphasize their commitment to building a contender that can capitalize on Joel Embiid’s MVP-caliber prime and splashy midseason acquisition James Harden.
This week, the Sixers will hit their first benchmark — Thursday’s NBA draft held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn — of what could be a fascinating offseason of roster tinkering.
“We’re going to figure this out,” Morey said the day after the Sixers lost to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. “But we feel like there’s a lot to build on. … That said, we know we have to improve. Elton [Brand, general manager], the staff, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
The Sixers have the 23rd overall pick in the draft, an asset they were not guaranteed to possess until a couple of weeks ago. The selection was initially sent to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Harden (and veteran big man Paul Millsap) to Philly in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond. But the Nets took the option to defer the pick to next year.
Should the Sixers hold onto their pick Thursday, the immediate and long-term impact of players selected in that range can vary drastically.
Tyrese Maxey, who was taken 21st in the 2020 draft held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a budding star following a breakout second season. Matisse Thybulle, who is a two-time NBA All-Defensive selection but remains severely limited offensively, was picked 20th in 2019. Furkan Korkmaz, a reserve swingman who struggled mightily with his outside shooting last season, was selected 26th in 2016.
Other notable players around the league who were recently picked late in the first round include Robert Williams (27th in 2018), Grant Williams (22nd in 2019), and Payton Pritchard (26th in 2020) of a Boston Celtics team that just made the NBA Finals, Brandon Clarke (21st in 2019) and Desmond Bane (30th in 2020) of the breakout Memphis Grizzlies, Anfernee Simons (24th in 2018) of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Delaware native Bones Hyland (26th in 2021) of the Denver Nuggets.
The Sixers’ roster needs athleticism, defense (especially on the wing), toughness and instant-offense scoring off the bench. Among the 2022 prospects who spoke to Sixers representatives at last month’s NBA draft combine are Wisconsin-Milwaukee forward Patrick Baldwin, G League Ignite wing MarJon Beauchamp, Ohio State guard Malaki Branham, Baylor forward Kendall Brown, and Nebraska wing Bryce McGowens. Brown also worked out for the Sixers Monday in Camden as part of a group that also included St. Joseph’s forward Jordan Hall, Delaware guard Kevin Anderson, Alabama guard Keon Ellis and UNLV guard Bryce Hamilton, multiple sources told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Others who could fall in their range at 23 include Notre Dame wing Blake Wesley, Kentucky guard TyTy Washington, Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler, Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell, Serbian forward Nikola Jovic, Auburn center Walker Kessler, and Arizona big man Christian Koloko (who is from Cameroon, Embiid’s home country).
The 23rd pick could also be used as part of a trade package to add more immediate help, instead of a young player who would likely need some time to develop. Depth was a glaring issue for the Sixers during the playoffs, even before veteran wing Danny Green tore two knee ligaments in their final game against Miami. And their 2021 first-round pick, defensive guard Jaden Springer (No. 28 overall), spent the bulk of the season with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats.
Tobias Harris — who is still on a hefty contract but potentially got a trade-value bump after a terrific postseason while adapting to fit alongside Harden — could also be moved to free up cap space to chase a star-caliber player, or multiple role players to fill needs. League sources have told The Inquirer that the Sixers are also gauging other teams’ trade interest in Thybulle, who is extension-eligible this offseason, Korkmaz, and reserve guard Shake Milton. Milton has a $1.9 million team option for next season, which HoopsHype reported last week the Sixers plan to pick up (potentially to keep him as a trade option following the draft). And despite the serious injury, Green’s expiring $10 million contract is also an interesting trade asset because that final year of the deal is fully non-guaranteed until July 1.
The Sixers do not have this year’s second-round pick, which was sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2018 blockbuster deal that brought Jimmy Butler to Philly. The Sixers could trade back into the second round, a move that often only requires cash considerations to complete.
Draft night will then set the table for free agency, which opens at 6 p.m. June 30.
Harden’s future is the most prominent storyline. He has indicated publicly that he will pick up his $47.4 million player option for next season, and a report from Bleacher Report surfaced last week that he will also sign a short-term extension to kick in following the option season. That would be an ideal outcome for the Sixers, since Harden would also be eligible to sign a four-year max extension on Aug. 10.
The Sixers’ unrestricted free agents are Millsap, who might retire following a 16-year career, and DeAndre Jordan, whom the Sixers added via the buyout market after losing Drummond in the Harden-Simmons trade.
How different the Sixers’ roster will look entering the 2022-23 season remains to be seen. But Thursday’s draft is the first benchmark of what could be a fascinating summer.
“Look, we can do it,” Morey said. “We’ve got a lot of resources. We’ve got a lot of flexibility. [Owners] Josh [Harris] and David [Blitzer] give us every ability to go out and do what we need to do. … We’re not afraid to talk about it. [A championship] is the goal.
“We have one of the best, if not the best, player on the planet [in Embiid], and we have to do more. All of us.”
