Just when everyone thought he has cooled off, Daryl Morey keeps inventing new ways to remind people just how ambitious and audacious he can get. For better or for worse, the Philadelphia 76ers team president remains on the lookout for the next shiny thing available out there, and it seems like he was actually eyeing a jackpot before the trade deadline.
As spilled by Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the longtime executive was eyeing Kawhi Leonard before the deadline last month. Obviously, that plan did not pan out, with the front office ultimately ending up just trading Jared McCain for draft capital. Still, this is a huge development that only hints at what the team plans to do when the market opens once more.
No matter how this season end for the 76ers, the safe bet is to bank on the front office trying to make drastic changes when the offseason begins. This team is loaded with raw talent, but it is a clearly flawed one. The championship window is close to getting shut for this nucleus, and an infusion of elite talent might just be what it needs to get out of life support.
Rumored trade plan for Kawhi Leonard hints at 76ers’ goal this offseason
The 76ers may or may not push through with this suspended chase of theirs with respect to the Clippers superstar, but if there is one thing clear, it is that Daryl Morey will not sotp hunting for big names even if they are not explicitly made available by their ball clubs.
Name-hunting has become a dicier gambit given the more restrictive terms under the new CBA, but the 76ers are uniquely positioned in that they are fully capable of going after another top-tier star this summer. Between salary-matchers and draft capital, the front office has sufficient ammo to be a key player in the blockbuster trade landscape.
With Joel Embiid still playing like an All-NBA First Team player when healthy and Tyrese Maxey playing tremendously well enough to even sniff the MVP conversations, the 76ers already have a high floor as a collective. Now, they need someone who can get them over the hump, and a player like Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, can definitely help them get the job done.
The actual star they eventually go all-in for might end up being an entirely different one, but the 76ers seem to be lasering in on the prospect of making another huge shift. And at this point, it might just be what they need for a final hurrah with this core.