Daryl Morey Hints At What's Next For The Sixers After The James Harden Trade

On Wednesday, nan Philadelphia 76ers finalized nan trade that sent James Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev to nan Los Angeles Clippers for 2 early first-round picks, a first-round prime swap, 2 second-rounders and Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington and Kenyon Martin Jr.

While speaking pinch reporters later that day, Sixers president of hoops operations Daryl Morey explained what yet pushed nan long-rumored woody complete nan edge.

"We group a barroom successful June, really, erstwhile James requested nan trade," he said. "We said, 'Look, if we tin get it to here, that should beryllium what mostly allows you to spell retired and get a player.' Having a subordinate for illustration Jrue [Holiday] spell for a akin package was benignant of validating connected that. So we group that bar, and obviously, it came together wherever nan Clippers met that price, and truthful that's why nan waste and acquisition happened erstwhile it did."

In mid-October, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that nan Sixers told nan Clippers they'd judge an connection of an unprotected first-round pick, a first-round prime swap, Terance Mann and expiring contracts (for salary-matching purposes), but nan Clippers continued to balk astatine nan inclusion of Mann. Amick added that nan Sixers already had "trades lined up" successful which they'd person a first-round prime for Mann.

"The Sixers’ extremity from location would beryllium to make those assets portion of a consequent connection for nan All-Star-caliber subordinate of their choosing later successful nan season," Amick reported.

Morey efficaciously confirmed those reports Wednesday.

"We're gonna spot really this roster evolves," he said. "Coach Nurse has a batch of decisions connected who to play, really to usage them. See wherever nan gaps are, and past now we person a bully plus guidelines and a batch of elasticity into adjacent play arsenic good to support improving nan team. Once James requested nan trade, this is wherever we were hoping to extremity up."

The Sixers person to hold 2 months earlier they tin aggregate nan contracts of Morris ($17.1 million), Batum ($11.7 million) and Covington ($11.7 million) successful a trade, but nan waste and acquisition deadline isn't until Feb. 8. They tin now walk nan remainder of nan 2023 almanac twelvemonth evaluating really their caller additions fresh successful and what holes they still person connected their roster.

The mobility is whether they'll return their large plaything up of nan waste and acquisition deadline aliases hold until nan offseason, erstwhile they're poised to person more than $55 million successful salary-cap space. Morey indicated Wednesday that he'd for illustration nan former.

"Ideally, we would really usage that headdress abstraction early," he said. "That's mostly better, because past you some person nan front-end elasticity and past nan back-end elasticity to re-sign them, and past you tin spot who becomes available. In nan parlance of really teams talk, we would for illustration to usage it early if we can. In position of acquiring nan group we mightiness re-sign aliases bring back, it gives you much flexibility.

"That said, nan bully point is we do person nan back-end optionality that if we don't usage it early connected players we want to re-sign aliases person longer deals, past what we want to do is spell aft nan champion players who are successful free agency, which group are excessively down on."

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated mentioned Chicago Bulls defender Zach LaVine and Toronto Raptors swingman OG Anunoby arsenic "names to watch" for nan Sixers. LaVine is successful nan 2nd twelvemonth of his five-year, $215.2 cardinal contract, while Anunoby tin go a free supplier adjacent summertime by declining his $19.9 cardinal subordinate action for nan 2024-25 season.

In mid-June, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that nan Bulls had begun "quietly gauging nan waste and acquisition interest" successful LaVine. One convention root told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago astatine nan clip that nan Bulls "would beryllium focused connected getting a good, young player, aggregate first-round picks and net filler" for LaVine, while different said "one first-round prime and an established, high-end subordinate mightiness beryllium sufficiently intriguing."

Anunoby's sanction besides surfaced successful rumors up of past year's waste and acquisition deadline. ESPN's Bobby Marks said "at slightest half nan convention put successful offers for him" (h/t nan Toronto Star), while ESPN's Zach Lowe said some nan Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers offered nan Raptors 3 first-round picks for him. However, Lowe added (h/t RealGM) that nan Raptors "made it clear to these teams, like, 'We want a player, too.'"

Raptors president Masai Ujiri later told reporters that nan waste and acquisition deadline "is really not a awesome spot to make semipermanent decisions." He added that immoderate moves they could person done astatine nan deadline would besides apt beryllium disposable to them nan pursuing offseason, though that won't beryllium nan lawsuit pinch Anunoby and Pascal Siakam if they go free agents adjacent summer.

Both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will presumably beryllium disconnected nan array successful immoderate of these conversations unless a prima for illustration Luka Doncic unexpectedly becomes available. Could nan Sixers meet nan Bulls' asking value by combining De'Anthony Melton pinch immoderate (or all?) of nan package that they received from nan Clippers from Harden? Will nan Raptors prime a semipermanent guidance up of this year's deadline, and will they little their asking value connected Anunoby since he mightiness only beryllium a half-season rental?

Other names of liking are bound to look complete nan coming weeks and months arsenic teams autumn short of expectations and statesman to reevaluate their futures. Morey made it clear Wednesday that he'll beryllium fresh to pounce erstwhile those opportunities emerge, whether up of nan February waste and acquisition deadline aliases adjacent summertime successful free agency.

Unless different noted, each stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning nan Glass aliases Basketball Reference. All net accusation via Spotrac aliases RealGM. All likelihood via FanDuel Sportsbook.