Another year, another playoff disappointment for the Sixers. This year they couldn’t even get to the 2nd round. They lost to the Knicks in 6 games.
They got nothing from players not named Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey. Buddy Hield, Kyle Lowry, and Tobias Harris each had 1 good game a piece, and then were MIA for the other 5.
The Good News For The Sixers
Losing in the 1st round sucks, but there is a bright side. For the first time we are not leaving that series with question marks hanging over the stars. Embiid and Maxey showed up.
Were they perfect? No. No player is perfect. But they played like stars.
The other good news is that they have a lot of cap space. Embiid, Paul Reed, and Ricky Council IV are the only players under contract. You can add Maxey to that as well who is going to get the max. Council isn’t making much, and Reed can be cut at no cost.
So really everything is in play. This roster could be completely remade, and we should expect them to do that.
“We are not going to have continuity. Hopefully we will have continuity going forward. We will have continuity with our stars and with our coach. But we are going to have a lot of changes this offseason.”
-Daryl Morey
Star-Hunting Once Again
Morey did not use the word star in his post-season press conference. But we know what he meant by “high-level player.”
The Sixers are on the hunt for a 3rd star to play with Embiid and Maxey. Someone who can pick up the scoring when those two have an off game or are on the bench. They hoped Tobias Harris could be the 3rd star… but we saw how that went.
So who will be that 3rd star? So far they have been attached to 4 names. That doesn’t mean it can only be 1 of these 4 guys, but as of now, they are the 4 most likely names to land with the Sixers.
One is a free agent. Another can opt out and is expected to. The other two though would have to be traded for.
Here Are 4 Star Players The Sixers Could Target This Off-Season
Paul George
This is the one with the most smoke. It has been rumored Paul George was their target this offseason for nearly a year now. The Clippers also had an early exit, and its clear the Kawhi Leonard/Paul George combo just isn’t cutting it.
The question is, will Paul George fix the Sixers problems? His teams have had the similar knocks these Sixers teams have had. Is another guy who seems cursed in the playoffs the answer? Especially when that guy just turned 34? George would give them the true 3rd scorer they are looking for. But I don’t think he will be the needle mover to get fans back on board. You beat the Knicks with Paul George. But would you be able to beat the Celtics? That is a much tougher question to answer.
Jimmy Butler
Butler is a fan favorite, even though he hasn’t played here in years, and only spent 1 season with the Sixers. He was part of arguably their best team in te Process era. But he didn’t want to play for Brett Brown, so his time here was cut short after one season.
The Heat have said they have no interest in trading him. But Brian Windhorst suggested that things could change. Butler is going into the last year of his deal, and an extension does not seem to be in the works.And Pat Riley’s recent comments arent going to help things.
He is at least a name to watch. But is he the right fit? Like George, and the next guy will get to, he is older. Butler also needs the ball in his hands a lot. He is not a spot-up shooter. So you are taking the ball away from Maxey, and giving it more to Butler. That said, he has a level of toughness this Sixers team has lacked since he left.
LeBron James
This is not the first time Lebron has been rumored to the Sixers. Back when he first went to LA, the Sixers were said to be in the mix. There were even rumors he was in the area touring schools for his kids. It turned out they were never even a real consideration. Lebron always had his eyes set on LA. Now he might be available again though.
Apart from the bubble year, things did not go well with the Lakers. This year it might have reach a breaking point with reports coming out he is done with the Lakers. And a lot of places have the Sixers as a team to watch for the GOAT to land. The problem is he is 39. He will be 40 in December.
That said, he is still playing at a very high level. He is not the best player in the league anymore. But he is still a star. Maybe playing second, or even third, fiddle to Embiid and Maxey is the right role for him. They can carry the weight in the regular season, and he can save himself for the playoffs.
Brandon Ingram
Brian Windhorst suggested on Get Up that Ingram is a player whose situation they are monitoring. He might be out in New Orleans. But the reason he might be out there might be a reason to be wary if you are the Sixers Ingram pulled a Tobias Harris-esque disappearing actin in the playoffs. That said, it was a small 4-game sample size where they were playing without Zion. And if you go back to the other time he was in the playoffs, he averaged 27 pts per game against a 60-win Suns team.
Ingram is the youngest guy on this list, and his game might be the best fit with Maxey and Embiid. He doesn’t need the ball constantly to get his points like George and Butler do. He can be Tobias harris, but actually good at what they want him to do.
He is the least exciting name of the bunch, but he might also be the best option if you take fit into account.
