2023-24 Review:47-35; lost in the first round
Added: F Paul George (four years, $212 million); G Eric Gordon (two years, $6.7 million); C Andre Drummond (two years, $10 million); F Caleb Martin (four years, $35 million); G Reggie Jackson (one year, $3.3 million); G Jared McCain (1st round, 16th pick); F David Jones (two picks); 2031, 2nd round (acquired from Dallas)
Lost: F Tobias Harris (signed with Detroit); F Nicolas Batum (signed with Clippers); F De’Anthony Melton (signed with Golden State); C Paul Reed (waived); G/F Buddy Hield (sign-trade with Golden State); F/C Mo Bamba (signed with Clippers)
Retained: G Tyrese Maxey (five years, $204 million); F Kelly Oubre (two years, $16.3 million); G Kyle Lowry (one year, $3.3 million); F Kenyon Martin Jr. (two years, $16 million); G Jeff Dowtin (two-way)
Extended: None
Back from injury: None
The skinny one: I do it again! I’m falling for Daryl Morey’s carnival! He does his Wizard of Odds thing, and I’m swooning like a Swiftie at an Eras Tour concert. And here I am again, after the Sixers persuaded George to come back east to take a chance on Joel Embiid and Maxey and yet another revamped supporting cast. At least I’m not giving Philly the No. 1 pick this offseason, like I did in 2020 (when they hired Morey and Doc Rivers) or 2022 (when they signed Melton from Memphis and PJ Tucker from Milwaukee and extended James Harden to two years and $68 million. Good times.) But it’s close.
And yet, I still remember what Embiid said after the Sixers were eliminated by the Knicks in the first round, when asked about the upcoming summer, with Philly sitting on $50 million in salary space.
“Every year, it’s always the case, one person comes in, and the next year, they leave,” Embiid said. “The same thing has happened the last few years. … All (the 76ers’ recent teams) have lasted one year. That’s the problem. Who won (in 2022-23)? Denver. … Jamal (Murray), Nikola (Jokić), they’ve been together for, what, eight years, something like that, seven? You look at some of the teams that have won. The Golden State Warriors. They’ve been together a long time. I can’t remember the last time you just put a team together and hoped it would work for a year.”
So will this last, especially with Embiid and the 34-year-old George’s injury history? Can Caleb Martin recreate his postseason moments in Miami, replacing Batum? Can McCain fit into the rotation? Will Oubre continue to provide the boost he did last season on a proven contract?
I don’t know. I’m too busy looking at the shiny watch Morey just pulled out of his pocket.
