The Philadelphia 76ers made a massive splash by signing Paul George. Superstars rarely change teams in free agency, but Daryl Morey proved his doubters wrong. The Sixers opened up significant space and convinced the top name on the market to join them. It gives Philadelphia three stars but leaves them with plenty to accomplish.
Add a max contract hurt the 76ers depth. Tobias Harris, De’Anthony Melton, and Nicolas Batum all signed elsewhere. Morey must solve a new set of issues. They have the top-end talent but must turn it into a title-contending roster.
The Sixers have just nine players under contract, including first-round pick Jarred McCain, and some of those are unlikely to make the opening night roster. Morey needs to fill their 15-man roster and has several moves still to make to ensure Philadelphia is an elite team.
5. Add ring chasers
The 76ers have already agreed to deals with Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond to bring some veterans to their roster. They have several spots left to fill and should target more experienced talents who are eager to chase a championship. Those vets can give them a skilled bench and improve the franchise’s depth.
Justin Holiday, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jae Crowder, and Daniel Theis are just some of the free agents over 30 years old who may look to take less to chase a championship. There will be no shortage of options. The Sixers just need to convince them to come to Philadelphia.
Ideally, they would get a couple of players willing to accept the minimum in hopes of winning it all. The 76ers top-end talent gives them a legitimate shot, and these veterans could be what pushes the franchise over the top.
Daryl Morey and the front office cannot just focus on minimum signings. The Sixers have significant holes to fill and should start by trading a young big man who is stuck behind Joel Embiid for an upgrade.