An eventful Sixers offseason has reshaped the roster.
Many changes were expected after the embarrassing end of the 2019-20 season for the Sixers. Fans had prioritized a front office refurbishment before anything else. For once, the Sixers ownership didn’t disappoint, revamping both the front office and the coaching staff.
This was then followed by significant roster changes by the new front office. Through all these changes over the months, the Sixers fandom seems to have a newfound sense of hope and rightfully so.
I’ll be rating and reviewing the four biggest roster changes for the Sixers and why these changes encourage hope.
Sixers offseason grades: Al Horford trade
- A
Trading Al Horford away was the biggest demand from Sixers fans as far as player personnel was concerned. The two-center experiment failed dismally and Horford’s salary was too significant for him to just be a backup.
I wasn’t sure the Sixers would be able to trade him away because I didn’t think any team would be willing to take on his horrible contract, but Daryl Morey and Sam Presti found a middle ground and arguably the best personnel move for the Sixers this offseason was made.
Danny Green is an elite shooter and defender and success seems to follow him, as he can boast about having three championship rings. Looking over the past three years, it’s clear to see the best recipe for the Sixers’ success is surrounding Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with shooters, and Green is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter. His experience, especially on championship teams, will be vital for the team’s culture and hopefully their success.
Terrance Ferguson, who also came over in the deal is a young guard who shows scoring potential and boasts some athleticism that fuels his offensive skill set. He can grow into a great scorer to come off the bench however his defense is a liability. I don’t expect to see much of Ferguson or Poirier on the court though as they were probably included in the trade more for salary reasons than any real value they might add.
An overlooked component of this trade is the $8.2 million traded player exception that the Sixers have as a result. While Morey has indicated that there will be no more roster changes until they’ve seen the team play, this gives the team a lot more flexibility to make any moves they wish to make in the next year.
In summary, a great trade for the Sixers, adding much needed spacing without sacrificing defence, two young players with untapped potential and roster flexibility.