The Philadelphia 76ers have had their fair share of missed opportunities over the last few years, but admittedly, most of those came as a result of their own doing. The front office has gone after big names after big names, skipping past players who could have given them a more sustainable, yet equally effective (if not more) path to winning.
One of those players is Tyrese Haliburton — arguably the biggest breakout star of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. With him leading the way, the Indiana Pacers are now just one win away from repping the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, solidifying his case as one of the faces of the league moving forward.
As Haliburton swishes three-pointers after three-pointers and fires off mind-boggling passes to lead Indiana to endless breaks, 76ers fans probably cannot help but feel regretful, especially given that the front office turned him down back when he was in Sacramento.
76ers regret grows as Tyrese Haliburton stars in the playoffs
A recent clip resurfaced where Haliburton admitted to Paul George that he thought he was going to be traded to the 76ers two years ago when all the focus was on the franchise finding a taker for the disgruntled Ben Simmons.
The Kings famously surprised everyone when they decided to move him instead to the Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. Not only was the league-wide astonishment a result of the unexpected destination, but prior to that, Sacramento never showed any indications of willingness to move on from the budding star as they were then rumored to be shopping De’Aaron Fox instead.
Now, the young superstar has transformed the Pacers franchise almost single-handedly. In contrast, the 76ers remain stuck with an aging nucleus outside of Tyrese Maxey whose availability on a nightly basis has become a constant guessing game.
Had Philly traded for Haliburton at that time, the franchise could have had the best backcourt in the NBA with Maxey and a perfect partner for Joel Embiid who, since James Harden skipped town, has never played with an elite table-setter.
As constructed, the 76ers still do not have a high-caliber playmaker who can make life easier for his teammates. Maxey is more of a shot-creator, and the squad has mainly relied on individual shot-making to carry their offensive design.
For now, the Philadelphia 76ers are relegated to the stands, waiting for the next big decision awaiting them. But it is definitely difficult to gloss over the fact that had the franchise exercised a more extensive level of foresight, they could have been in an enviable position as a great force both in the present and future.