The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a six-game series loss to the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Led by Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia was able to make it a series after falling down 4-1. Unfortunately, the team just could not win Game 6 at home.
The backdrop here was an injury to star center Joel Embiid and issues behind the big two of Embiid/Maxey. Simply put, Philadelphia was not deep or talented enough to really compete with New York.
Now that an average season is a thing of the past in Philadelphia, the expectation is that there’s going to be widespread changes on the roster. Front office head Daryl Morey pretty much confirmed that on Monday.
“We’re not going to have continuity,” Morey told reporters. “We’ll have continuity with our stars and our head coach, but we’re going to have a lot of changes this season.”
This seems to suggest that the 76ers are going to do everything possible to retain Maxey. The star young guard is set to become a restricted free agent and is expected to receive max contract offers. Outside of that, there are a lot of questions in Philadelphia right now.
Related: 10 Philadelphia 76ers moves this summer to make team NBA title contender
A look at three moves the Philadelphia 76ers should make this offseason
- Re-sign Tyrese Maxey: This one is pretty darn obvious. Maxey, 23, is coming off a breakout 2023-24 season. The former first-round pick from Kentucky averaged 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists on 45% shooting from the field. With Philadelphia boasting an expected $65 million in cap room, re-signing Maxey should be the first order of business. He’s eligible for a five-year, $205 million contract.
“This offseason is a big one,” Morey told reporters. “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.”
- Let Tobias Harris walk: Harris, 31, is slated to hit NBA free agency. We’re sure fans in Philadelphia agree that the team should let him walk. He put up zero points in the 76ers’ Game 6 loss to New York and struggled when it counted the most. There is absolutely no reason to bring him back, even if it comes as a discount rate.
- Trade for star wing: Philadelphia has the draft picks to pull off a blockbuster trade. If Morey is serious about a roster overhaul, adding a wing to the mix should be in the cards this summer. Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Kyle Kuzma (Washington Wizards) and Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) are four names that come to mind.