- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,255,649
- Reaction score
- 59
Now that the Philadelphia 76ers have hired a new President of Basketball Operations in the form of Mike Gansey, the challenge for this group now is to head into the summer and find ways to improve. The Sixers finished 45-37, made the playoffs as the 7 seed through the play-in tournament, upset the Boston Celtics in Round 1, but then were swept by the New York Knicks in Round 2.
With the Knicks now in the finals as the Eastern Conference champions, it will be up to Gansey and Co. to find ways to dethrone New York and find a way to make the finals for the first time since 2001. The Sixers have not won a title since 1983, so this will be a tall order for everybody involved.
For the Sixers, here are three questions that need to be answered heading into the offseason:
The Sixers had Andre Drummond and Adem Bona fill this spot in 2025-26, and both players did an admirable job. However, Drummond is a free agent and Bona still has some development to take care of. So, one has to wonder if the Sixers will go big in the draft at No. 22 or they will dip into the free agency pool.
There are options here. The No. 22 pick could produce young big men such as Chris Cenac Jr., Koa Peat, or--if they get some luck--Morez Johnson Jr. on draft night. Any of those three players could step in right away and give the Sixers some production. Then, there's free agency, where somebody like Nick Richards could be available and a real option. Either way, the Sixers have to shore up this area of the roster in order to truly move forward.
The second unit had its struggles in the playoffs. Particularly, in Round 2 against the Knicks when guys like Quentin Grimes and Justin Edwards were unable to get much going. Grimes is a free agent and Edwards is heading into year 3, so the Sixers need to fortify this unit and find some real production off the bench.
Philadelphia could look into somebody like Ebuka Okorie or Christian Anderson in the draft or go into free agency looking for a bargain bin player such as Jordan Goodwin or Tim Hardaway Jr. The point is, the Sixers need another ball-handler to take the pressure off Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and it will be up to Gansey and the front office to find somebody worthy of filling that role for this group.
This feels as if things are shifting for the Sixers. While Joel Embiid and Paul George are still around, and still producing, they are due an awful lot of money over the next few seasons. George still has two years and roughly $110 million left on his deal--the final year is a player option. Embiid's 3-year $193 million extension kicks in this year. Therefore, one has to wonder if the Sixers will try and move either George or Embiid in order to shift the focus onto Maxey and Edgecombe.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 3 questions the Philadelphia 76ers must answer in upcoming offseason
Continue reading...
With the Knicks now in the finals as the Eastern Conference champions, it will be up to Gansey and Co. to find ways to dethrone New York and find a way to make the finals for the first time since 2001. The Sixers have not won a title since 1983, so this will be a tall order for everybody involved.
For the Sixers, here are three questions that need to be answered heading into the offseason:
1. How do the Sixers fill the backup center position?
The Sixers had Andre Drummond and Adem Bona fill this spot in 2025-26, and both players did an admirable job. However, Drummond is a free agent and Bona still has some development to take care of. So, one has to wonder if the Sixers will go big in the draft at No. 22 or they will dip into the free agency pool.
There are options here. The No. 22 pick could produce young big men such as Chris Cenac Jr., Koa Peat, or--if they get some luck--Morez Johnson Jr. on draft night. Any of those three players could step in right away and give the Sixers some production. Then, there's free agency, where somebody like Nick Richards could be available and a real option. Either way, the Sixers have to shore up this area of the roster in order to truly move forward.
2. Who leads the bench unit?
The second unit had its struggles in the playoffs. Particularly, in Round 2 against the Knicks when guys like Quentin Grimes and Justin Edwards were unable to get much going. Grimes is a free agent and Edwards is heading into year 3, so the Sixers need to fortify this unit and find some real production off the bench.
Philadelphia could look into somebody like Ebuka Okorie or Christian Anderson in the draft or go into free agency looking for a bargain bin player such as Jordan Goodwin or Tim Hardaway Jr. The point is, the Sixers need another ball-handler to take the pressure off Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and it will be up to Gansey and the front office to find somebody worthy of filling that role for this group.
3. What to do with the aging stars?
This feels as if things are shifting for the Sixers. While Joel Embiid and Paul George are still around, and still producing, they are due an awful lot of money over the next few seasons. George still has two years and roughly $110 million left on his deal--the final year is a player option. Embiid's 3-year $193 million extension kicks in this year. Therefore, one has to wonder if the Sixers will try and move either George or Embiid in order to shift the focus onto Maxey and Edgecombe.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 3 questions the Philadelphia 76ers must answer in upcoming offseason
Continue reading...
