CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Say goodbye to the 76ers.
No, not Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey it also sticks. Nick Nurse seems like a perfect long-term manager.
But for the rest of the Sixers? It’s time to wish them almost well, with nearly the entire team — players like Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry and Nic Batum — coming off the season with an expiring contract.
Team president Daryl Morey this summer has about $65 million in salary cap space, a first-round pick, a max contract to offer Maxey and plenty of questions to resolve about how to finally, truly build a contender for the NBA championship around Embiid.
“We will not have continuity” Morey said Monday at 76ers headquarters in New Jersey. “We will have continuity with our stars and our coach, but we will have a lot of changes this season.”
The Sixers first round exit against the Knicks marked 41 years since their last NBA championship. The Sixers haven’t even advanced past 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 now. Morey said.
The 76 have money to spend. But will they aim high for an aging player like Paul George? How about a wild card game on 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 with the team. Both players are free agents and could be a good fit in Philly.
“You have to factor in age,” Morey said. “We feel like we’re in the window where we have to win now. We are mainly focused on getting the best players to match Joel and Tyrese.”
Embiid will be 30 years old next season, and expecting the All-Star center to miss a significant chunk of time due to injuries is an unfortunate rite of passage for the Sixers.
Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and was limited to just 39 this season in large part due to knee surgery. The 76ers finished 31-8 in the regular season with Embiid — roughly on pace for 65 wins — and a dismal 16-27 without him.
“I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so we’re in a better position to win without him.” Morey said. That said, we spend 90% 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 the team can’t win a championship. Really, how do we do better? I felt like, for me, the depth wasn’t quite there when he was ready to win at the level we wanted to win.”
While the Sixers and their fans would like Embiid to take a summer to rest, he is ready 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 States in the Olympics,” Morey said. I think it’s important to support your best player’s dreams.
With the Sixers in win-now mode, a string of solid seasons usually has them drafting in the mid-to-late first round. Maxey in 2020 was the last draft pick to make any kind of impact. The 76ers are slated to pick 16th overall and keep the 41st overall pick in the second round. While the quality of the draft has taken a hit because it’s shallow, Morey said he’s fine with staying at 16.
Well, if he stays at 16.
“We’re not really focusing on the draft for help right now.” Morey said. “I really love 16. The story was that the draft is worse. I don’t see that at all. I’m very excited about who’s at 16. That said, as you’d expect, we’ve got all the options on the table. Trade in the future so we keep more options for future trades.”
Maxey’s career soared this season with his first All-Star berth, the The NBA’s Most Improved Player award and season extension 46 point effort in a Game 5 victory in New York.
“We all have to learn not to bet against Tyrese,” Morey said.
He is a restricted free agent, meaning the 76ers could match any offer extended to the point guard. Maxey is eligible for a five-year, $205 million contract.
“This offseason is a long one,” Morey said. “I owe it to the fans, to the ownership, to everybody, to get this team to a place where we’re competing for championships. Obviously we didn’t achieve that this year.”