3 overall, and now that the 76ers have actually secured it, they need to decide what to do with it.
After the NBA Draft Lottery, top 76ers executive Daryl Morey said that the “plan is to keep” the pick.
Last summer, he got his man when he landed Paul George on a four-year, max salary free agent contract.
If he doesn’t, the pick is his best chance at finding Maxey a long-term co-star for the next era of 76ers basketball.
His choice will likely depend on just how much trade value that pick winds up having.
For the past few months, the Philadelphia 76ers have been frantically holding onto their first-round pick. The 76ers wasted the second half of the previous season trying to hold onto the pick because it would have gone to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it had fallen outside of the top six.
That selection was formally placed at No. last week. 3 overall, and the 76ers now have to make a decision regarding their use of it after securing it.
Daryl Morey, the top 76ers executive, stated that the “plan is to keep” the pick following the NBA Draft Lottery. However, it appears that the other players in the league do not trust him. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, “some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations” now that they are aware of their selection criteria. Givony lists Kevin Durant and Lauri Markkanen as potential candidates.
There aren’t many more aggressive star hunters in the NBA than Daryl Morey. He got his man last summer when he signed Paul George to a four-year, maximum-salary free agent contract. So far, that deal has not held up well. George has struggled to stay healthy as he has aged. That played a part in Philadelphia’s collapse in a season that started with hopes of winning the championship.
NBA mock trades: Giannis, KD, and the Lakers-Mavs trade for top picks are among five potential post-Lottery deals.
Quinn Sam.
It is likely that those aspirations for a championship have not completely disappeared. The 76ers could accomplish two key goals by trading the pick. By replacing the deteriorating George with an upgrade, the first goal would be to help this team return to contention the following season. The second, and perhaps more crucial, component would be to terminate George’s contract before the final three years become too burdensome to relocate.
It wouldn’t exactly clean up their books, of course. On opening night, Durant, who will be 37, is probably going to want a contract extension. At maximum money, Markkanen has four more years on the books than George. The 76ers will have to pay a high price for any player they acquire back in a George trade. He would only have to defend that monetary outlay.
The benefit of merely picking at No. 3. The player being transported there would be reasonably priced. First-round selections are reasonably priced and grant the team control for four years. The 76ers could add youth alongside younger core players like Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain if they land the right player in that slot. They could also generate enough surplus value as a result of cost control to make up for the overpayment of Joel Embiid and George.
It is beneficial to have a young star locked into a low-cost contract when you are paying injury-prone stars maximum money.
It actually means drafting a young star, of course. No, there is no assurance of that. 3, so if Morey didn’t at least look into what was available on the trade market for his pick, he wouldn’t be performing his duties. He is currently optional. He may be able to acquire the last component he needs to compete if he believes Embiid can remain healthy for the next four playoff rounds. If not, the selection represents his best opportunity to find Maxey a long-term teammate for the 76ers basketball team’s next chapter. His decision will probably be influenced by the pick’s ultimate trade value.
