76ers Re-Tool?

[OutsidetheNBA]

Bottom Line: What are 76ers moves that would help them mini-tank this year while making them more competitive next year?

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The 76ers schedule over the 12 games before the deadline is *extremely* tough with several back-to-backs and a lot of good teams. They might play well and turn their season around. But they also could go 4-8 or worse. If the 4-8 scenario happens, they would enter the deadline at 19-30. At that point it would be hard to see them getting above the play-in (and probably the 9th seed) and I don't have much hope for them in a first round matchup against the Cavs/Celtics.

They also have a Top 6 protected pick this year. Currently they have the 8th worst record in the league and are only a couple of games ahead of the Blazers and and Nets. A full tank would give them a good chance of keeping that pick.

That said, I don't think the Sixers will blow it up completely because it's not Morey's style, they'd be trading very low on Embiid, and they can't trade Embiid until the summer anyway.

What moves would help the 76ers tank this year while putting them in a better position to compete next year?

General Ideas:

- Trade a piece to get below the tax (~4.6m over right now)
- Trade several pieces to open up the MLE this summer (some of Drummond $5m, Oubre $8m, Martin $8m, Gordon $3.5m (I think they need about $12m off their books if they waive non-guaranteed KJ Martin))
- Give up on the Big 3 model and trade George or Maxey for role players + assets (Herb Jones ++?)

[Tripod]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

[OutsidetheNBA]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They may not make the playoffs though. Vegas has them at a 62% chance but a comparison with historical performance puts them at a 40% chance. Even if they do make the playoffs, it would probably be after two play-in games and then a quick turnaround into Celtics/Cavs.

Would you rather have that scenario? Or a healthy, rested Embiid going into '25-'26 with the full MLE along with a Top 6 pick you can package to try to get, say Markannen?

[Billl]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They may not make the playoffs though. Vegas has them at a 62% chance but a comparison with historical performance puts them at a 40% chance. Even if they do make the playoffs, it would probably be after two play-in games and then a quick turnaround into Celtics/Cavs.

Would you rather have that scenario? Or a healthy, rested Embiid going into '25-'26 with the full MLE along with a Top 6 pick you can package to try to get, say Markannen?

You say that like coming into 25-26 with a healthy Embiid is an option. Dude's knees are degenerating. This is as healthy as he's getting.

[tsarcast]

retool won't do ****. If they wanna blow it up blow it up(they don't). Otherwise just try and make the dance and hope you get injury luck.

you gotta be bottom 4 to have >50% chance of keeping the pick. Time to do this was 2 months ago during the initial wave of injuries.

[Tripod]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They may not make the playoffs though. Vegas has them at a 62% chance but a comparison with historical performance puts them at a 40% chance. Even if they do make the playoffs, it would probably be after two play-in games and then a quick turnaround into Celtics/Cavs.

Would you rather have that scenario? Or a healthy, rested Embiid going into '25-'26 with the full MLE along with a Top 6 pick you can package to try to get, say Markannen?

You say that like coming into 25-26 with a healthy Embiid is an option. Dude's knees are degenerating. This is as healthy as he's getting.

Yup. You get in the playoffs and see what happens. Of it was 2 injured 26 year olds, different story.

[jayjaysee]

Yeah, you either trade Joel or try to win a championship every year you have him. They are two games out of the play-in. And if they’re healthy for a playoffs, no team wants that match up.

[jayjaysee]

I’d be doubling down.

PG+2 firsts for KD

KJ+Dre+Gordon+??+2026 better of OKC/Phil+2028 LAC first for Deni+Reath

KJ+Dre+Gordon+2026 better of OKC/Philly and something for Jalen and Ayo

Smaller moves.. Give OKC back their late first next year for Wiggins? There’s something in Phoenix available.. Grayson or Okogie..

[psman2]

I’d be doubling down.

PG+2 firsts for KD

KJ+Dre+Gordon+??+2026 better of OKC/Phil+2028 LAC first for Deni+Reath

KJ+Dre+Gordon+2026 better of OKC/Philly and something for Jalen and Ayo

Smaller moves.. Give OKC back their late first next year for Wiggins? There’s something in Phoenix available.. Grayson or Okogie..

I think a push further in like one of the above is a lot more likely the the strategic retreat of the OP. One key injury for their opponent to getting to round 2 or further.

[ChettheJet]

Yeah the Bulls like getting the pick. They don't mind getting Drummond back so long as there is a Vucevic trade that gets made. Martin is nothing Gordon gets released. They have enough guards to let Dosunmu go. It's Smith that's the hangup. Paired with Drummond that's very good at the 5. Trading both Vucevic and Smith means they need to find somebody else to back up Drummond who based on his two years in CHI could start for 30 minutes. Name that center and we can talk but not until

[HartfordWhalers]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They may not make the playoffs though. Vegas has them at a 62% chance but a comparison with historical performance puts them at a 40% chance.

I would be curious to see how you compared a team underperforming because of injuries with other precedents and that made their odds go down not up for doing better the rest of the year. Mind sharing your methodology?

[PhillyNj]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They’re not helping you unless there’re both on the floor, which is very rare this year. I’m actually of the mindset just tank.
They’re just horrible to watch like this. Their ratings have to have plummeted!

[jayjaysee]

Yeah the Bulls like getting the pick. They don't mind getting Drummond back so long as there is a Vucevic trade that gets made. Martin is nothing Gordon gets released. They have enough guards to let Dosunmu go. It's Smith that's the hangup. Paired with Drummond that's very good at the 5. Trading both Vucevic and Smith means they need to find somebody else to back up Drummond who based on his two years in CHI could start for 30 minutes. Name that center and we can talk but not until

I was just spewing some bad ideas but if the conversation gets serious you could probably just take Bona from Philly. Interesting enough second round rookie…

though I imagine whatever team they trade Vuc to has a backup center going back (Looney, Adams, Collins, Hayes/Wood, Capela, etc…)

[the_process]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

The Sixers should not be making any moves based on the timeline of Embiid and PG. Those two are just along for the ride at this point.

[OutsidetheNBA]

You can't waste a playoff year when you have Embiid and George on the roster

They may not make the playoffs though. Vegas has them at a 62% chance but a comparison with historical performance puts them at a 40% chance.

I would be curious to see how you compared a team underperforming because of injuries with other precedents and that made their odds go down not up for doing better the rest of the year. Mind sharing your methodology?

I just looked at Playoffstatus.com which uses a couple of objective measures of team performance. The Basketball Reference playoff odds page which uses similar metrics actually has the 76ers at only a 30% chance of the play-in and 6% of the playoffs. Maybe "objective" performance is a better term than "historical performance" for those measures, but the general point stands.

For the reasons you mention, objective metrics probably rate the 76ers chances too low, but I also think 62% is too high given their performance thus far, Embiid's ongoing injuries, and their schedule.

[OutsidetheNBA]

I’d be doubling down.

PG+2 firsts for KD

KJ+Dre+Gordon+??+2026 better of OKC/Phil+2028 LAC first for Deni+Reath

KJ+Dre+Gordon+2026 better of OKC/Philly and something for Jalen and Ayo

Smaller moves.. Give OKC back their late first next year for Wiggins? There’s something in Phoenix available.. Grayson or Okogie..

I think a push further in like one of the above is a lot more likely the the strategic retreat of the OP. One key injury for their opponent to getting to round 2 or further.

IF the 76ers get healthy and turn their season around, the best they can reasonably hope for is the play-in. IF they make it through the play-in they get a match-up against excellent Celtics and Cavs teams. IF their opponent suffers a "key injury" then they have a *chance* to win a round.

They have a much better chance at a Top 6 pick (currently 25%+) then winning a playoff series this year.

[psman2]

I’d be doubling down.

PG+2 firsts for KD

KJ+Dre+Gordon+??+2026 better of OKC/Phil+2028 LAC first for Deni+Reath

KJ+Dre+Gordon+2026 better of OKC/Philly and something for Jalen and Ayo

Smaller moves.. Give OKC back their late first next year for Wiggins? There’s something in Phoenix available.. Grayson or Okogie..

I think a push further in like one of the above is a lot more likely the the strategic retreat of the OP. One key injury for their opponent to getting to round 2 or further.

IF the 76ers get healthy and turn their season around, the best they can reasonably hope for is the play-in. IF they make it through the play-in they get a match-up against excellent Celtics and Cavs teams. IF their opponent suffers a "key injury" then they have a *chance* to win a round.

They have a much better chance at a Top 6 pick (currently 25%+) then winning a playoff series this year.

No they won't. IF healthy I can almost GTD you that the sixers will be have better odds than 25% no matter who they face. They will be big underdogs but they are not the typical fodder that comes out of the playins. If Embiid can play they continue to try to win, it is as simple as that.

[OutsidetheNBA]

Outline of an idea -- basically I think the 76ers would benefit by turning George into high level role players + assets & tradeable contracts for a deal this summer.

76ers Out: George
76ers In: Herb Jones, Huerter, Vincent, Vando, LAC '25 2nd, LAL '25 2nd, '26 LAL Swap

Tradeable contracts and minor assets to package with their '25 pick to bring in a star (Markannen) this summer. Herb Jones gives them a young wing on an awesome contract . If they don't trade an expiring Huerter this summer, he gives them great depth.

Kings Out: DeRozan, Huerter, Lyles, '27/'28 Top 4 Protected SAC 1st
Kings In: George

Kings upgrade from DeRozan to George for the cost of one 1st rounder.

Lakers Out: Vincent, Vando, LAC '25 2nd, LAL '25 2nd, '26 LAL Swap, '28 LAL Swap
Lakers In: DeRozan

Lakers send out contracts, 2nds, and swaps to add another back-court creator/scorer for a playoff run.

Pelicans Out: Herb Jones
Pelicans In: Lyles, '27/'28 Top 4 Protected SAC 1st, '28 LAL Swap

Pelicans bring in a very good 1st and a potentially very good swap in exchange for a player who is currently injured. Long term they open up room for Hawkins and Murphy.

[jbk1234]

The Warriors did tank an injury plagued season, or two IIRC, and bounce back to win a Championship. Dallas managed to snag Lively that way.

It's not crazy to think this way, but you have to believe Embiid and/or PG have the same type of bounce back season in them as Curry, or you have to believe that there's a player in the draft who can fill the same giant sized hole on the roster that Dallas had.

[Tripod]

The Warriors did tank an injury plagued season, or two IIRC, and bounce back to win a Championship. Dallas managed to snag Lively that way.

It's not crazy to think this way, but you have to believe Embiid and/or PG have the same type of bounce back season in them as Curry, or you have to believe that there's a player in the draft who can fill the same giant sized hole on the roster that Dallas had.

Difference is GSW owned their own pick.

The 76ers would have to take enough to finish bottom 6... THEN also not drop in the standings when the lottery happens. Like if they did manage to finish 6th(Only 25%)....you still have a 50% chance of dropping to 7-11 in the draft and losing your pick.

76ers decided their fate when they added PG. Go in on 2 oft injured highly paid stars. To tank the rest of the year then lose the pick is way worse than trying to win and lose to a better team....and lose the pick which would be worse.