In the wake of a first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has signaled a shake-up around centerpieces Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. After 41 years without an NBA championship and failing to advance past the second round since 2001, Morey is ready to overhaul the roster. "We're not going to have continuity," Morey said in a statement, "We'll have continuity with our stars and our head coach but we're going to have a lot of changes this season", as cited by 6abc.
Morey, speaking at the 76ers' New Jersey headquarters, stressed the importance of the now over the long-term process, and suggested that significant investments might be made in the player market. Yet, it remains to be seen if high-caliber veterans like Paul George or LeBron James could be targets, as both would need to decline player options to become available. Free agents Pascal Siakam and DeMar DeRozan were also mentioned as possible fits.
Morey's confidence in building a contender is high despite Embiid's struggle with injuries, which limited him to 39 games this past season. The team excelled with him on the court, maintaining a win pace comparable to a 65-win team, but faltered significantly without him. "I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so that we were in a better spot to win without him," Morey told CBS News Philadelphia. The depth, he conceded, wasn’t sufficient during Embiid’s downtime. Embiid, however, is not expected to take the summer off, as he plans to play for the USA Basketball team in the Paris Olympics, a decision the 76ers reportedly support.
As Philadelphia gears up for big moves and possible high-profile acquisitions, the expectations from fans and ownership couldn't be clearer. In a straightforward commitment to the city and the team, Morey said, "This offseason's a big one. 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." The front office's ability to deliver a championship-contending team, now more than ever, will be under the microscope, according to 6abc.
