In keeping with the disaster that struck the Philadelphia 76ers this season, the franchise is now operating with pretty slim margin of error. Their current footing as a ball club is far from enviable, and at this juncture, the front office has no other choice but to implement several changes to the roster if they want to construct a team with an actual shot at being relevant next season.
With the offseason inching closer, the 76ers badly need to execute a summer game plan that will stand as a foolproof one, unlike last year, when the front office was armed with the widest pocket in the league but still managed to plant some ticking bombs in-house thanks to some shortsighted decisions that ended up backfiring in grand fashion.
As Philly sojourns in their summer escapade, Daryl Morey and his crew will definitely have their work cut out for them. But given that they will have much more limited options this time around, the front office will have to be more resourceful than ever while still being aggressive enough to pursue potential difference-makers.
Having said that, they should adopt this new disposition lest they invite the possibility of another summer disaster.
The 76ers have to stop going after aging players in free agency
Morey has already stated that the team will zoom in on acquiring younger commodities this offseason during his exit presser, admitting that their non-stop pursuit of veterans last year was perhaps a product of rash thinking.
Having said that, given the 76ers’ financial constraints, they will be forced to utilize the veteran’s minimum more than other clubs will, giving the appearance that going after veterans looking for their next home could be ideal. Stop right there.
Philadelphia, already fragile at its very core, can no longer to be a glorified retirement home for players deep into their 30s. Even for the minimum, the front office should double down on running after fresher options who, despite the relative lack of name value, can still get the job done while not being dicey players availability-wise.
The 76ers had a handful of players from last season who were tenured and expected to man important roles, only to go down due to untimely, yet unprecedented injuries and/or steep declines which, in hindsight, should not have been suprising in the first place.
Despite their pockets not being as wide this time around, the Philadelphia 76ers cannot just settle for the lowest-hanging fruit in free agency. The front office will need to make an extensive search and not waste roster spots on players which, while proven and established, are red flags due to their age.