Sixers mailbag: ‘What is the possibility Philly brings Tobias Harris back on a team-friendly deal?’
With the Sixers' attention turned toward the offseason, The Inquirer fields your free agency questions, taking questions on OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Maxey and more.
Another 76ers season concluded with a disappointing finish.
Yet, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has an opportunity to assemble a championship roster this summer.
Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Ricky Council IV will be the only players under contract beyond June. The Sixers are expected to re-sign restricted free agent Tyrese Maxey and build their roster around the young point guard and Embiid.
» READ MORE: The Sixers are feeling positive after another failed season. Can next time be different?
“We have a lot of tools this offseason,” said Morey, whose squad could have close to $65 million in cap space this summer. “More than most teams in our situation with more draft picks, more cap space, two great players, that story is yet to be written.
“We’ll have to see how the offseason goes and how we play. As you know, I tend to not be someone who says let’s make sure the roster is perfect on day one. I like to build the roster over time. Even throughout the season. You look at Toronto — even Marc Gasol — things like that. It’s something that we’ll know next season. Was there enough?”
The Raptors added Gasol via trade from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 7, 2019, four months before winning the NBA title.
» READ MORE: Daryl Morey and Sixers still in search of support for Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey: ‘That’s the biggest need’
We’ll have to wait for over a year to see if the Sixers will be in position to duplicate Toronto’s success.
In the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.
Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.
Q: What type of players are they looking for as far as “skill set” to place around Embiid and Maxey?That’ll give us some clue to what kind of players they want to place around them. —@Janee25899835
A: Thanks for starting off the mailbag, Janee. Great question. But this could be close to a complete roster overhaul. So they’ll be in the market for several skill sets. However, the main person they’re looking for is an elite wing player. They want someone who can mesh well with Embiid and Maxey. That’s why Los Angeles Clippers swingman Paul George, their prime target, is a good fit on paper.
Q: What is the possibility that Philadelphia brings Tobias Harris back to the team on a team-friendly deal because of his versatility on defense alone? —@TheReal_MD28
A: Great question, man. I’ll never say never, but it would be shocking to see Harris return. As one of the top free agents, he’ll have plenty of suitors willing to pay him more than what the Sixers intend to offer him. With that said, I strongly believe Harris’ tenure in Philly is over.
Q: What’s the possibility of getting both OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam in free agency? —@3rdstreetjazz
A: I appreciate your question, Mark. But I’m going to have to zero. While they may have close to $65 million, a chunk of that could go to an ‘A’ level player. Then they’ll have to fill out the roster before giving a lucrative deal to Maxey, whose Bird rights will allow the team to exceed the salary cap. The Sixers would have a tough time affording both Anunoby and Siakam and the type of money they will demand this summer.
Q: Tyrese Maxey has grown into a franchise cornerstone. In hindsight, it remains incredibly impressive how the Sixers marked Maxey ‘untouchable’ when they were undoubtedly tempted by the availability of several stars across the league.
What do you think gave the franchise so much confidence in Maxey at the time, before it necessarily translated onto the court, that the average fan may not have been exposed to? —@SeanSusk
A: Thanks for the question, Sean. A lot of it has to do with his work ethic and how he’s been able to improve each season. They saw that they were able to project out how good he would be over time. The crazy thing is during the offseason he works out three times a day before 1 p.m. They know his worth ethic is second to none. You don’t give up on a player like that, especially when he’s so beloved in the organization.