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[Philadelphia 76ers]

Paul George hoping a summer of health and stability will lead to a bounce-back season

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Paul George was the prize of the Sixers’ last offseason, but played in just 41 injury-riddles games. He believes a summer to recuperate will help him regain his form.

The Sixers signing 34-year-old Paul George to a four-year max extension was risky. He’s dealt with injuries in the past and the team was signing him to play next to Joel Embiid, a player with his own interminable injury history.

But even the most Negadelphian among us couldn’t have seen this coming.

George played in only 41 injury-marred games, struggling to resemble his nine-time All-Star self for most of them. As frustrated as fans might be, this was not the season George was hoping for in his cross-country move to Philly.

“This is an amazing fan base, amazing city to play for,” he said, “and obviously there were great interactions with fans and ... I won’t even say bad interactions, but there are interactions that as a player, you can only put yourself in their shoes and respect their opinion.

“Again, it definitely left me with, ‘alright, I wanna get to work this summer’ and this is a place that you want to win.”

Putting aside George’s age, the fit seemed ideal. The six-time All-NBA pick is a two-way wing, perfectly suited to play off of a former MVP center in Embiid and an ascending star guard in Tyrese Maxey. George would likely be the third option on most nights, but at this stage of his career, that seemed appropriate.

Instead, George averaged just 16.2 points per game, his lowest mark since 2011-12 (not including the year he came back from a catastrophic leg injury and played only six games). It was far from his most efficient season, shooting 43% from the field on his lowest volume since 2011-12, and 35.8% from three, the third-worst mark of his career. George was actually most productive on the defensive end, racking 4.0 deflections per game — a top-five mark — in Nick Nurse’s havoc-wreaking schemes.

But suffice it to say, the Sixers were looking for a whole lot more.

So was George, who dealt with two knee hyperextensions, a torn ligament in his pinkie and a groin injury that seemed to linger all season. He didn’t realize the full extent of those injuries until late in the season.

“Again, the injury stuff was some stuff that I didn’t necessarily know I had going on until deep diving,” he said, “and finding out like there was other stuff that I didn’t know was going on that was causing a little limitation which was frustrating — not being able to do things that I normally could do and then finding out the reasons why. Those things are being addressed, so that’s the positive.”

The biggest two obstacles for George were his health and the health of everyone else.

The team’s Big 3 played in only 15 games together. There were a few glimpses of hope in those games. The biggest win was on Christmas Day against the defending champs in Boston. Maxey and Embiid starred — along with the now-Dallas Maverick Caleb Martin.

George struggled from the field but was excellent in helping to slow down the Celtics’ star wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who got theirs but also combined for eight turnovers. George had three steals and a block on the day.

After wins in Utah and Portland, the Sixers melted down in Sacramento and got demolished by Golden State. They took an easy win against Brooklyn but that would be the last game Embiid played for a while.

George’s healthiest and most productive time of the season was in January when his knee seemed to be in a good place and before issues cropped up with his finger and groin. In nine games, George averaged 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 46.8% from the field and 45.2% from three.

The player the Sixers signed is still in there. How much health allows that player to come out is the big question moving forward. The 15-year NBA vet is hoping a summer of health and already being acclimated to his new home will help.

“I think it’ll be a different summer — at least for me,” he said ahead of the team’s season finale Sunday. “I’m not deciding where my future is or who I’m gonna play for in the upcoming season. I know exactly where I’m at, what I need to do this summer and kind of go from there.”

The last time the Sixers signed a big-name free agent away from the Clippers it was the team’s current GM, Elton Brand. Brand signed what was dubbed the “Philly Max” in 2008 ahead of his age 29 season. He was a two-time All-Star and the type of star player the Sixers needed after trading away Allen Iverson in 2006.

Unfortunately, Brand was coming off a serious Achilles injury and played only eight games for Los Angeles in 2007-08. In his first year with the Sixers, Brand only managed to suit up for 29 games. Though Brand did play in more contests during his Sixers tenure, he was never the same player.

Brand unretired in 2015-16 to mentor the Process Sixers and has since moved to the front office. It’s likely Sixers fans are hoping for a much different fate for George.

“I know what level I can play at when I am healthy,” he said. “Obviously it’s a struggle when I’m not healthy. For me, it’s just try to get my body in best shape as possible [this summer], get as healthy as possible, and continue to do the work that I’ve been doing as far as basketball training to prepare for a season.”

Will George regain All-Star form? Or will his time in Philly be sullied by injuries and ineffectiveness?

For 2025-26 and beyond, the Sixers would gladly take something in the middle of those outcomes.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...clippers-joel-embiid-tyrese-maxey-daryl-morey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

What Nick Nurse and Daryl Morey can learn from Michael Malone and Calvin Booth

Photo byJesse D. Garrabranty/NBAE via Getty Images

The Nuggets parted ways with both Michael Malone and Calvin Booth because of a ‘cold war’ that was brewing behind the scenes. Can Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse avoid the same fate?

Last Tuesday, the Denver Nuggets made the shocking decision to fire title-winning head coach Michael Malone with only three games left in the regular season. They also announced that they wouldn’t be extending the contract of general manager Calvin Booth, which expires after this season.

ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported “there was growing tension between Malone and Booth” heading into the season that “grew into a ‘cold war.’” According to Tony Jones, Sam Amick and Zach Powell of The Athletic, Malone and Booth “had been at odds over everything from roster construction to the way players were used, creating tension that started to bleed into the rest of the organization.”

“Booth wanted Malone to use younger players that he drafted and to stray away from using veterans for so many minutes,” they wrote after the news broke. “Jalen Pickett is a good example of this, according to league sources. Booth was dismayed that Malone went with Russell Westbrook over Pickett down the stretch of multiple games last week. On a macro level, Booth and Malone disagreed on several things.”

The Sixers haven’t run into that issue yet with head coach Nick Nurse and team president Daryl Morey. If anything, the Sixers’ relentless wave of injuries this year forced Nurse to lean more heavily on young players than anyone anticipated coming into the year. Although that didn’t translate to many wins, it could have positive downstream effects for the Sixers once they get closer to full health.

Before tearing his meniscus in mid-December, Jared McCain showed flashes of stardom while emerging as the early Rookie of the Year front-runner. When Quentin Grimes arrived at the trade deadline, he seized the opportunity in front of him and established himself as a clear starting-caliber player moving forward. And with the Sixers playing out the string on a lost season in recent weeks, rookie second-round big man Adem Bona has been demonstrating the developmental strides he’s made throughout the year.

All three could be game-changers for the Sixers, who project to be well over the salary cap as long as they have the trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey on their books. The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement is effectively designed to hamper teams with multiple max contracts by limiting what they can do in trades and free agency. Teams like the Nuggets and Sixers not only need to hit on their draft picks, but they also have to lean on them more than a win-now team typically would under the old paradigm.

That’s been an issue with Nurse dating back to his Toronto days. It was on full display early this season, too. Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson were clear net negatives, but Nurse continued to play them over some of the Sixers’ other young options off the bench. Playing Justin Edwards or Ricky Council IV over either of them wouldn’t have saved the Sixers’ season, but the ineffectiveness of the Sixers’ AARP bench unit didn’t help with their early-season tailspin.

Morey and Nurse need to be in philosophical alignment about the balance of veterans and young players both on the roster and in the rotation moving forward. It’s going to become increasingly difficult for them to replenish their supporting cast around their Big 3.

Luckily, they both seemed on board with the same vision at their end-of-season press conference on Sunday.

“I would say one of those things is I was very focused on finding veteran-type players who generally perform very well in the playoffs, and I didn’t put enough emphasis on the team getting through the regular season,” Morey said. “So next season, for sure, we will be a younger, more dynamic group.”

Nurse added that the “game keeps getting faster and more dynamic,” and that the Sixers needed to be “a little bigger, longer, stronger, more athletic” for “really basic things like defensive transition or defensive rebounding.” (They finished 28th this season in defensive efficiency in transition and 30th in defensive rebound rate.)

The Nuggets are the perfect cautionary tale for the Sixers in that regard. Since they won the 2022-23 championship, they’ve experienced a talent drain. Key reserves Bruce Brown Jr. and Jeff Green both left for richer deals in 2023 free agency, while starting 2-guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signed with the Orlando Magic this past offseason.

Christian Braun has adequately filled KCP’s shoes in the starting lineup this year, but the Nuggets are short on reliable bench depth. Their other young players have yet to pop in the way that Booth planned.

The emergence of McCain and Grimes gives the Sixers a head start over the Nuggets in that regard. But given their expected roster-building restrictions this offseason—they’ll likely be limited to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception and only minimum contracts beyond that—they might struggle to add an impact player via free agency. That puts a premium on both internal development and the signings that they do make.

That’s another area where the Nuggets whiffed in recent years. They signed Reggie Jackson to a two-year, $10.3 million contract with their taxpayer mid-level exception in 2023 and wound up spending three second-round picks to salary-dump him the following offseason. They spent their taxpayer MLE this past offseason on Dario Sarić, but The Homie has played only 210 total minutes for them to date.

Again, Morey and the Sixers’ front office have an advantage over the Nuggets in that regard. They nailed a pair of minimum signings over the past two years—Kelly Oubre Jr. in 2023 and Guerschon Yabusele this past offseason—and have found other inexpensive contributors via the draft (McCain, Bona) and free agency (Edwards, Patrick Beverley). In fact, Morey cited the front office’s ability to work the margins as one of the main reasons why he was comfortable building a Big 3 while other teams look to shed costs in the second-apron era.

“In those situations, I like having the challenge,” he told reporters last May. “To me, finding the guys that are overlooked [for lesser deals]. The Kelly Oubres of the world. Getting a Kyle Lowry. Getting players like that. I like that challenge. I think that’s something that the front office is very good at.”

The Sixers need to look no farther than the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles for a crystal-clear example of how the front office/coaching staff dynamic can propel a team to a championship. General manager Howie Roseman knocked it out of the park last offseason both in the draft (Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean) and free agency (Saquon Barkley, Zach Baun). From there, head coach Nick Sirianni pushed the right buttons throughout the year to get his team to the promised land.

Heading into last offseason, Roseman said the Eagles needed to embrace more of a youth movement and that Sirianni was on board.

“I think that for us to play our young players, to develop them, I think that’s something that Coach and I have talked about to not be afraid of,” Roseman told reporters. “That’s why you draft them. That’s why you sign them.”

Morey and Nurse seem to be on a similar page heading into this offseason. But if they deviate from that plan or begin to clash at some point, they could find themselves suffering the same fates as Malone and Booth if the Sixers underachieve again next year.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...ey-denver-nuggets-michael-malone-calvin-booth

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Editor-in-chief mailbag: At last, it’s finally over ...

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

... now I’m ready to be free! (Shoutout if you get the reference.) Hit me with your questions as the Sixers’ offseason begins in earnest.

Hello, friends.

We freaking did it. We made it through one of the most disappointing seasons in Sixers history. The only saving grace is the terrific tank job the team did down the stretch to secure the fifth-best lottery odds in the 2025 NBA Draft. Remember, the Sixers’ first-round pick will convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside the top six.

The lottery will take place on May 12 (should we throw a watch party?) with the draft on June 25. With plenty of time to kill between those two dates, hit me up with some questions!

(Bonus points if you understood the headline reference.)

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025/4/15/24408882/editor-in-chief-mailbag-at-last-its-finally-over

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Mavericks GM Nico Harrison ‘valued Caleb [Martin] more’ than Quentin Grimes

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison met with select media this week and doubled-down on his decision to trade Quentin Grimes to Philadelphia for Caleb Martin.

The only NBA fandom that has had a worse year than those that care about the Philadelphia 76ers is that of the Dallas Mavericks — and with every passing day, the organization seems to twist the knife in further.

Mavericks president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison emerged from the shadows to speak to the media this week for just the second time since trading away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of the night on Feb. 1.

And in that spirit of complete transparency, Harrison held the meeting with select media members and stipulated that no cameras or recording devices would be allowed. Because that’s normal.

I’m not sure that limiting the media or the recording of it helped in any way, as the full transcript of the meeting reveals Harrison’s comments and replies to reporters questions that somehow continue to make things look even worse on behalf of the organization. Such highlights include doubling-down on his February blockbuster, with Harrison stating “there’s no regrets on the trade”.

The full transcript is long but wildly entertaining, for what it’s worth. Well, it’s entertaining as long as Harrison isn’t the general manager of the team you love and support.

But what does any of it have to do with the Sixers? Not much! So let’s focus on the other trade the Mavericks made that garnered less attention on the outset, but is looking like another extremely questionable move from Harrison — Caleb Martin for Quentin Grimes.

Just a few days after the league-shocking Doncic trade, the Mavericks acquired Martin from the Sixers and, in return, sent Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick to Philadelphia. At Tuesday’s meeting, Harrison was asked about the move.

Tim Cato, DLLS: Nico, you didn’t speak following the trade deadline, having addressed the Quentin Grimes trade. I think I understand loosely why that trade was made. You guys did not feel that you were going to retain Quentin Grimes as he went into free agency. Why was a draft pick attached to that trade, and what were the logic behind the negotiations of that deal in general?

Nico Harrison: Well, it was really about getting Caleb Martin. It was less about Grimes. We, obviously, we traded for Grimes, and we got a good look at Grimes. Great player. I think it worked out for both teams. It worked out for him. He’s a free agent situation, so we got to go to a team where he could shoot all the balls and really display his offense. And for us, we weren’t interested in that. We were interested in how he could help us win games. And we had the opportunity to get Caleb, which the opportunity only afford itself because Anthony Davis, he gave us that ability, because he had a trade clause, a trade kicker, and he opted out of that. And so that gave us the room to be able to do that.

(Am I supposed to be able to take the phrase “he could shoot all the balls” seriously?)

Well, shoot all the balls, Grimes did! He played 28 games for the Sixers, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest shooting 46.9% from the floor and 37.3% from long range. And that’s all while no stat line is going to show the other things Grimes did for Philadelphia, including keeping the Sixers afloat physically and mentally throughout the final weeks of the season, practically single-handedly.

Martin, meanwhile, played in just 14 contests for the Mavericks, averaging 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists shooting 38.9% from the floor and 25.0% from three-point range. At the time of the trade, Martin had missed the previous dozen games for the Sixers due to a hip injury that ultimately kept him sidelined another whole month before taking the floor for Dallas.

When pressed further about the specifics of the trade, especially the Mavericks’ decision to give up what is now a high-value 2025 second-rounder in addition to Grimes, Harrison didn’t mince words.

Tim Cato, DLLS: “The perception is that Grimes is a younger, better player than Caleb Martin. Maybe you disagree, but why was a second-round pick, a valuable second round pick attached to that deal?”

Nico Harrison: “Well, if you don’t like Caleb, then you’re not going to like the trade. But we valued Caleb more so, and we also got a second-round pick back.”

Alright then.

First, let’s get it out of the way that the second-round pick that the Mavericks got “back” was not originally in the trade deal at all. That concession was made only after there were concerns with Martin’s hip after his physical for his new team. The original deal that Harrison was happy to take was simply getting Martin in return for Grimes and the 2025 second, so I’m not sure Harrison should even get credit for the pick added later. Plus, that second-rounder the Sixers coughed up for Dallas to take Martin is their own for 2030 — where in the draft order that 2030 second-rounder will ultimately fall is completely up in the air as well.

The 2025 second they sent to Philadelphia, however, has settled at 35th overall — just five picks into the later round. Second-round players do not always pan out well in the league, but it is a high-value pick with big potential that the Sixers got out of the deal.

To recap: the Mavericks traded away the better, younger player in Grimes and a valuable second-rounder for a struggling, hobbled Martin that is on a contract that doesn’t expire until after the 2027-28 season (with a player option for that final season) and a 2030 second-rounder that could end up being the last overall pick in that draft.

The Sixers not only got Grimes for the latter half of this season, but will have a chance to keep Grimes around as he is due to be a restricted free agent, giving Philadelphia the chance to match any offer sheet he may sign with another team to retain him.

All because Harrison “valued” Martin more... OK then. Well, on behalf of the Sixers, thanks, Nico!

Daryl Morey (and all other general managers) should really send Harrison a fruit basket, because he’s making them all look better by comparison.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...cic-nico-harrison-quentin-grimes-caleb-martin

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers offseason mailbag: So… what now?

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The Sixers plan to get “younger” and “more dynamic” this offseason. What questions do you have about that plan?

At long last, the Sixers’ lost 2024-25 campaign is over. The good news is that team president Daryl Morey appears to have learned a valuable lesson from this dumpster fire of a season.

“I was very focused on finding veteran-type players who generally perform very well in the playoffs, and I didn’t put enough emphasis on the team getting through the regular season,” Morey said at his end-of-season press conference Sunday. “So next season, for sure, we will be a younger, more dynamic group.”

Head coach Nick Nurse also seems to be on board with that plan, which bodes well for his and Morey’s ability not to be the next Michael Malone and Calvin Booth. It’s one thing to say that heading into the offseason, though. Given Nurse’s history of preferring veterans over young players—including at the beginning of this season—the jury remains out on whether this late-season experience genuinely did cause Morey and Nurse to see the light.

Now that we know the Sixers’ general offseason strategy/direction, what questions do you have about how they move forward? Drop them in the comments section below or send them to me on Bluesky (@btoporek.bsky.social) and I’ll answer as many as I can tomorrow.

In the meantime, enjoy the Chicago Bulls’ continued march toward becoming the late-2000s Sixers.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025/4/17/24409543/sixers-offseason-mailbag-so-what-now

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Report: Departing Kings GM Monte McNair has ‘possible prospects’ in Philadelphia

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Could Monte McNair join former co-worker Daryl Morey with the Sixers?

The 2024-25 NBA regular season is over, the Play-In Tournament is underway, and the playoffs loom this weekend. Believe it or not, the Philadelphia 76ers were not the only organization dissatisfied with how the season went. After losing the 9-vs-10 Play-In Tournament game to the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night, the Sacramento Kings parted ways with general manager Monte McNair.

Per reporting from Sam Amick and Anthony Slater for The Athletic, McNair is someone who could be in the Sixers’ future:

“League sources say McNair, who spent 13 years in Houston before joining the Kings, could return to the Rockets in a front office role with general manager, and close friend and former co-worker, Rafael Stone. He also has close ties and possible prospects in Philadelphia, where former Rockets president of basketball operations Daryl Morey runs the Sixers front office.”

While Daryl Morey went on the record during end-of-season availability stating he and head coach Nick Nurse would be returning, we did hear recently from Michael Scotto at HoopsHype to expect some new faces among the coaching staff:

“While Daryl Morey publicly stated he and coach Nick Nurse are both returning to Philadelphia next season, there’s an expectation that Nurse’s assistant coaching staff will see changes this offseason, league sources told HoopsHype.”

Certainly, that same ‘we need to change things up at least a little bit’ mentality would extend to the front office, which brings us back to McNair. Just two years ago, McNair won NBA Executive of the Year after the Kings made the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season. One of his first moves was drafting Tyrese Haliburton at 12th overall, a home run of a value. The following year, however, he would draft Davion Mitchell with the ninth overall pick, who later wound up being traded away with draft capital as a salary dump.

Sacramento later traded Haliburton to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis and then De’Aaron Fox this past trade deadline to San Antonio as part of a three-team deal. Charitably, we could stretch and call these ‘win-win’ deals, but I think more people would side with Sacramento’s trading partners getting the better end of things. Regardless, the Kings look to be spinning their wheels and are much further away from contention than they were a few years ago.

Still, as a long-time, respected executive, bringing McNair into the Sixers organization in a less high-profile role could certainly pay dividends. I’d be in on a buy low of Keegan Murray if McNair could open up that avenue of communications. We’ll see if anything comes of this reporting nugget in the coming weeks this offseason.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-possible-prospects-in-philadelphia-76ers-nba

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Where Sixers rank in The Athletic’s 2025 NBA Player Tiers

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

It was not a banner year for the Sixers and these rankings reflect that reality.

Law Murray of The Athletic published the site’s annual NBA Player Tiers column, their spin on a league-wide ranking of the top players within The Association. As you might expect for a team that finished with the fifth-worst record in the league, these rankings are not littered with a multitude of Philadelphia 76ers. In fact, only three Sixers are mentioned among the group of top-125 players. Let’s take a look at where they reside.

Tier 2E: Joel Embiid (Players 29-30 along with Kyrie Irving)

“This is a special sub-tier, but it’s clearly not the sub-tier you want to be in.

Joel Embiid was the MVP two years ago and was wasting the NBA for close to 35 points per game last season. But including the postseason, Embiid has played in only 30 games since February 2024. As a big man on the other side of 30, he has looked like a shell of himself. Embiid has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He is still a center with elite skill. But he had only five dunks in 574 minutes this season, and he wasn’t the same as a rim protector. Even if he returns to form, he shoots 45.9 from the field in his postseason career and has 36 more turnovers than assists in the playoffs.”

Honestly, I’m not the least bit upset about this ranking. There’s a distinct possibility that Embiid’s knee doesn’t improve and next spring we’re talking about his being the worst contract in the league. Even if he does return, I think it’s safe to say that his days of being a top-5 guy over the course of an entire season are over. As much as I hate to say it, top-30 feels generous for the big man.

Tier 3A: Tyrese Maxey (Players 31-38)

“These players either are All-Stars, have been recent All-Stars or have approached play that could have made them All-Stars if not for ill-timed injuries or other factors.

All three point guards are former Kentucky Wildcats who have played with star big men and have shared a lot of ballhandling responsibilities. It wasn’t a banner year for De’Aaron Fox, who was traded to San Antonio in February. He also had to share lead guard duties with Chris Paul — and that was after sharing the ball with DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk in Sacramento’s starting lineups. Fox is one of the best small guards at getting to the free-throw line, which offsets his troublesome 3-point shooting. Tyrese Maxey has the brightest outlook of the 76ers star players since he’s young and healthy. His efficiency took a major hit before Philadelphia shut him down, but Maxey is one of the NBA’s best guards at scoring at a high rate without being a turnover machine. Jamal Murray is dealing with hamstring issues entering the playoffs, and he is often criticized for not being named to an All-Star team yet despite being Nikola Jokić’s teammate. Murray may be a perennial snub, but he has still shown he can be an outstanding playoff riser capable of punishing teams in ball screens with Jokić.”

Again, no major arguments here. Maxey was on a top-20-ish trajectory heading into the season, then the entire Sixers organization got a hold of a cursed monkey’s paw. Tyrese dealt with injuries, including a sprained finger that he tried to play through despite having to try learning how to SHOOT WITH THREE FINGERS INSTEAD OF FIVE. So yeah, his shooting numbers were down, but I think more concerning, he didn’t progress as a lead initiator/distributor when pressed into that role. I’m fine with Maxey taking a step back in the NBA hierarchy until he has a normal year of progression again.

Tier 3C: Paul George: (Players 49-60)

“This is the most players I have in any sub-tier, and it’s full of guys who are stretched as No. 1 options but can be powerful depending on who they can play off.

...

At small forward, Deni Avdija has made it clear that he is a player who is at his best with the ball in his hands as opposed to playing off Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton. Avdija averages north of five free-throw attempts per game at 6-9 and 240 pounds. Paul George’s scoring and paint presence have evaporated. He doesn’t take on the toughest defensive assignments anymore, and he has played in 60 games only once since leaving Oklahoma City in 2019. Despite the decline and situation in Philadelphia, George can still be a winning player because of his size/skill intersection, and he can still make plays on both ends while shooting the ball at a decent clip. Lauri Markkanen is another talented player in a situation so bad that it limits how much he plays and how much he can produce. Markkanen’s numbers are well off the All-Star form he showed two years ago, and he badly needs the Jazz to get him better guards as part of their rebuild. Amen Thompson feels high, as he’s a bad shooter who isn’t asked to lead Houston’s scoring. But he’s a force in every other aspect of the game to go with nuclear athleticism at 6-7.”

Paul George had about four weeks where he looked like the top-20 player that served as a best-case scenario with his free agent signing. Otherwise, he toggled between overpaid but effective role player, aging guy playing through injury, and someone who’s head wasn’t in it at all because the team’s season had gone in the wood chipper. I don’t know what you do with all that, but George is also turning 35 years old next month so around 50th overall seems perfectly fine.

Well, you can tell how pessimistic I am about this Philadelphia franchise at the moment because I couldn’t get worked up arguing for any of these guys to be higher. Earn back my trust so I can fight unimportant internet rankings, Sixers! What do you think about this list, readers? Let us know in the comments.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...ia-76ers-joel-embiid-tyrese-maxey-paul-george

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Same game parlays for two Game 1s in the NBA Playoffs

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Sixers aren’t in the postseason for the first time in eight years. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the NBA Playoffs.

The spring is a busy time of year on the sports calendar. For the next two months we’ll have lots of sports to bet on with the NBA and NHL in their postseasons, MLB season in full force, major championships in golf and tennis taking place and a horse racing triple crown.

We wanted to give out a few Same Game Parlays we’re liking courtesy of our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook for the opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs. Without further ado, here is our first play which takes place on Saturday in New York.

Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks, Game 1​

6 p.m. ET, Saturday tip-off at Madison Square Garden

Tobias Harris to score 15+ points (+112)

Karl-Anthony Towns to record 12+ rebounds (-128)

Dennis Schroder to record 4+ assists (-136)

Payout: +477

Analysis: We’re going to start with the two Pistons angles here because they’re kind of one in the same. The Pistons are in the NBA Playoffs for just the third time in the last 16 seasons. It’s their first appearance in the last six seasons. JB Bickerstaff is widely considered a strong candidate for the NBA Coach of the Year award. He got a very inexperienced roster that only won 14 games into the playoffs and didn’t even need to make it through the play-in tournament.

We’re going to take some Pistons that have playoff experience elsewhere to perform and perhaps keep Detroit in the game. Just last season Harris played in postseason games in Madison Square Garden with Philadelphia so he should be pretty comfortable. Schroder feels like a good calming presence in the backcourt that I would think gets the younger players involved and allows them to ease themselves into the game. So we’re looking for the German veteran guard to facilitate early and often and build confidence for his teammates.

When it comes to Karl-Anthony Towns, the middle leg in our parlay is more physical than mental. Towns has a two-inch height advantage on Detroit center Jalen Duren. In three games against the Pistons in the regular season, Towns averaged 11 rebounds per game. However, in those three games he only averaged 33 minutes per game. Expect Towns to be closer to 40 minutes on Saturday night, if not over that, which should be enough for him to grab a 12th rebound against a smaller Detroit team.

Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets, Game 1​

9:30 p.m. ET, Sunday tip-off at Toyota Center

Jimmy Butler to score 25+ points (+150)

Brandin Podziemski to make at least 3 three-pointers (+168)

Alperen Sengun to record at least 10 rebounds (-172)

Payout: +909

Analysis: This seems to be pretty clearly the most intriguing first-round matchup in the NBA Playoffs. These two teams ran into each other quite a bit in the 2010s and while both teams look vastly different in 2025, I think both would tell you they have expectations of making a deep playoff run.

We’ll start with Butler who has certainly looked rejuvenated since being traded across the country from Miami to Golden State. Playoff Jimmy appears to be in full swing after a 38-point performance in the Warriors’ play-in tournament victory against Memphis. Butler also grew up in Tomball, Texas which is a Houston suburb so we’re expecting him to have a big night to open this series in Southeast Texas.

Podziemski just feels like someone destined to get a lot of open looks in this series. I imagine Golden State drafted him with these moments in mind. Given the amount of defensive attention Houston will pay to both Steph Curry and Butler, Podziemski doesn’t need to shake loose too much to splash home at least three triples. He’s a career 38% three-point shooter so there’s a lot to like about his chances to get this leg home at a plus price if he can shake loose enough.

Golden State has never been a team with a ton of size up front which has always made me wonder how Draymond Green and company would hold up against an All-Star center. Sengun is just that for Houston and we expect him to have his way on the glass en route to double-digit rebounds.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...parlays-for-two-game-1s-nba-playoffs-fan-duel

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

The Sixers had no choice but to bring back Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It’s understandable to be frustrated after an abysmal season. But when you think about things rationally, now wasn’t the time to make changes to the front office or coaching staff.

Imagine being dealt good cards in a game of poker. You like the two cards you’re holding and you feel good about your chances to win the hand before seeing the flop. The flop comes out and all of a sudden, your chances of winning the hand have greatly diminished.

There’s a good chance you overvalued the strength of your hand pre-flop, but the flop only lowered your chances of success. The cost of staying in the hand after the flop is not exorbitant, and there’s still a chance, albeit a somewhat slim chance, that the turn or river cards enable you to win the hand.

Would you stay in the hand to at least see the turn or would you fold?

This is basically the position the Sixers were in at the end of the 2024-25 season. Did they overvalue how good of a roster they might have had entering the year? Perhaps a little. As the season played out, it became clear that their roster was not going to be able to withstand the seemingly always ascending number of injuries they were saddled with. But, most of the important players are still under contract for next season.

The opportunity still exists, however unlikely it may be, for a turnaround to take place. Next year’s roster shouldn’t have as much injury bad luck as this year’s roster dealt with. The front office will also have an offseason to add more depth that might make it easier to endure whatever injuries take place next season. If you’re reading this and becoming skeptical, that’s more than understandable.

But, it’s important to realize that the Sixers were already pot-committed on this hand of poker. Extending Joel Embiid and signing Paul George last summer were strong pre-flop bets by Daryl Morey. He felt that having both players to go with Tyrese Maxey, who was also extended last summer, as the franchise’s trio of stars was the franchise’s best shot at a championship. Frankly, I don’t think many fans disagreed with him last summer either.

It probably would not be wise to reroute the entire direction of the franchise with more changes to the front office and coaching staff. Sam Hinkie drafted Embiid and Brett Brown was the first coach Embiid played for in the NBA. Approximately every three years since Hinkie’s hiring in May 2013, there has been a change to either the front office or head coach of the Sixers. Nurse has coached the Sixers for just two seasons. While Morey just finished up his fifth season as the Sixers President of Basketball Operations, what sense does it make to have a new executive come in now who would be hamstrung thanks to the big contracts Morey gave out last summer?

Regardless of how you feel about the likelihood of Embiid and George remaining healthy enough to live up to their contracts, the reality is that both players still have a lot of term left on their contracts. Embiid is signed thru the 2028-29 season and George is locked up until the 2027-28 season concludes. To be 100% accurate, the 2027-28 season is a player option for George but we all know he’s not going to do better than the $56 million he’s slated to make in 2027-28 provided he opts in.

Not only would a new executive likely be turned off by being tied down to these big contracts, but there are some outstanding first-round draft pick debts that the Sixers still owe to other teams that would also rebuff any strong lead executive candidate. By now, everyone probably knows about the debt Philadelphia owes to Oklahoma City in the first-round of either this year or next year’s draft. If the Sixers stay in the top six of this year’s draft, they’ll owe the Thunder a top-four protected first-rounder next year. The reason this debt exists is because one of Morey’s first moves after taking over the Sixers in 2020 was to shed Al Horford’s contract. The Thunder were willing to take on the Horford contract as long as Morey gave them the first-rounder that they now control.

Should the Sixers hold on to this year’s first-round pick and push back giving Oklahoma City the first-rounder by one year, they will owe Brooklyn a top-eight protected first-round pick in 2028 as the final condition of the Ben Simmons-James Harden trade three years ago. This of course was another one of Morey’s signature moves. So not only would a new executive be saddled with the big contracts Morey gave out, but said executive would also have to deal with draft pick debts thanks to some of Morey’s trades, making it difficult to rebuild.

Now that we’ve established the Sixers are already locked into Embiid, George, Maxey and probably Jared McCain even though he’s on a rookie deal, for the foreseeable future, are you really going to find a better coach than Nurse to try to return to contention next season? The Raptors have faded into irrelevance since winning a championship with Nurse. Additionally, I think most Sixers fans would approve of the job Nurse did in 2023-24. Nurse had to navigate some rather chummy waters in 2023-24 with a roster of mostly expiring contracts given Morey was set to go on a spending spree in the summer of 2024. Of course, Embiid’s current knee problems began in 2023-24 as well. Nurse still got the Sixers into the playoffs and had them competing until the bitter end of a back-and-forth series in the first round against New York.

What message does it send to potential coaching candidates that the last guy made the playoffs in his first season, had to play the most starting lineup combinations in NBA history in his second season and then got fired? The Sixers are simply in too deep on this group of top-end talent and it’s going to define Morey’s tenure as the team’s president. Morey’s 2024 offseason was rife with cap space and he hitched his wagon to Embiid, Maxey and George by giving them all huge contracts.

If the next few seasons are even close to 2024-25, Morey will be fired, Nurse will go with him, and by then the writing will be on the wall for a full-scaled rebuild with George and Embiid’s contracts nearing expiration. At that point, it will be time for a new hand of poker. But for now, there’s no better choice than to see the turn and river cards.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...ffseason-joel-embiid-paul-george-tyrese-maxey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers offseason mailbag: Would you trade Paul George for Zion Williamson?

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

We tackle plenty of Paul George trade ideas and salary-cap questions in our latest offseason mailbag.

Now that the offseason is fully underway, trades appear to be on the mind for many of you.

Team president Daryl Morey gave no indication Sunday that the Sixers are looking to break up their Big 3. In fact, he doubled down on his confidence in that core and suggested he just needed to shuffle the supporting cast around them. Then again, this would hardly be the first time that Morey said one thing and did the exact opposite later.

On Thursday, we asked for questions about any offseason topic, and you once again came through. But first, let’s start with a trade proposal that might have permanently broken my brain.

Would you trade Paul George for Zion Williamson? (assume some filler to make the money work)

— Avi Wolfman-Arent (@avi-wa.bsky.social) 2025-04-17T14:44:03.333Z

First off, full disclosure: Avi asked this question on BlueSky the other day, and I liked it so much that I bullied him into submitting it for this mailbag. Thank you for playing along, Avi!

Let’s first break down the financials here. PG still has three years and $162.4 million left on his contract. He’s set to earn $51.7 million next season. (Ye gods.) Zion also has three years left on his contract, but he’s only earning $39.5 million next year and has $126.5 million left in total.

The big difference? George’s contract is fully guaranteed, whereas Zion has zero guaranteed money remaining on his deal. His salary for the 2025-26 campaign becomes guaranteed on July 15, and portions of his 2026-27 and 2027-28 salaries would become guaranteed if he plays at least 41 games and passes weigh-in checkpoints throughout the year. But for now, there’s an escape route in his contract if things continue to go south for him health-wise.

So, that brings us back to the original question. After waffling back and forth for days, here’s where I land: I wouldn’t do it unless the Sixers also moved on from Joel Embiid this offseason.

Let’s set aside the injury concerns for now. (Don’t worry; we’ll circle back on those.) Even without that, I’m not convinced that Zion and Embiid would be a great on-court fit together. Certain actions could be lethal with the two of them—namely 4-5 pick-and-rolls—but Zion is a career 32.7 percent shooter from deep on a whopping 0.5 attempts per game. He does not provide the floor-spacing element that you’d prefer from a 4 alongside Embiid.

Injuries are obviously the far bigger issue, though. In six NBA seasons, Zion has played in 214 of a possible 472 games. His talent is tantalizing when he’s on the floor, but he has missed at least 50 games in four of his six seasons, including the entire 2021-22 campaign.

Given the ongoing uncertainty with Embiid’s health, the last thing the Sixers need is to add another massive injury risk. It’s already become increasingly implausible to imagine Embiid making it through a full regular season and playoff run healthy. The odds of both Zion and Embiid doing so are virtually nil.

Now, if the Sixers decide to move Embiid elsewhere this season, that’s another story. They’d still be gambling on an unlikely health outcome, but at least they’d have a contractual out with Zion that they don’t with either Embiid or PG. Pairing Embiid and Zion would be a deeply unserious moonshot, though.

Assuming Drummond, EG, and Oubre opt in. Who can we salary dump Drummond and EG to? Does Oubre have positive trade value? Can you attach a 2nd to Drummond & EG then get a 2nd back for Oubre?

— Phil E Moose (@philemoose.bsky.social) 2025-04-17T14:57:45.802Z

I ask this as a fan who has the following priorities this off-season. 1) keep the pick 2) pray it’s Cooper Flagg 3) resign Grimes 4) resign Yabu

— Phil E Moose (@philemoose.bsky.social) 2025-04-17T15:00:25.824Z

First, the bad news: The Brooklyn Nets might be the only team with significant cap space this summer. That makes them the obvious starting point for any team looking to dump contracts.

Now, the good news: Both Drummond ($5 million) and Gordon ($3.4 million) will be earning less than the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7 million) if they pick up their player options. The new CBA allows teams to use their MLEs as trade exceptions—aka, they can acquire a player via trade with their MLE and don’t have to send salary back. So, that should significantly widen the scope of options for salary dumps.

From there, it’d be a matter of finding the team that would require the least additional compensation to take on either contract. Would the Los Angeles Lakers be interested in a reunion with Drummond if they can’t find another big via trade or free agency this summer? Could the Charlotte Hornets view him as a short-term rental if they move on from Mark Williams? Would the Chicago Bulls entertain a reunion with the Big Penguin if they trade Nikola Vučević?

With that said, I wouldn’t necessarily be in a rush to salary-dump either one. I’d change my tune if the Sixers bump up against the second apron after re-signing Grimes, but they should have enough wiggle room to maintain access to their taxpayer MLE either way. My big question is whether they should use said MLE on Yabusele or if they’ll have better options elsewhere.

JojoTheProcessEmbiid
Paul George for MPJ
Oubre+Drum for Toppin
We pick at 6th
Match offer for Grimes
Does the above moves leave us with any exception money to offer to Yabusele?

So, a few things here right off the bat. The Nuggets are already projected to be over the first apron next season, which means they couldn’t take back more salary than they send out in a trade. Michael Porter Jr. is earning $38.3 million next season, so they’d have to send out an additional $13.4 million in salary to take back PG. (In this hypothetical, let’s assume they dump Zeke Nnaji and Dario Saric elsewhere and turn this into a three-team deal.)

If Oubre picks up his player option ($8.4 million), flipping him and Drummond ($5.0 million) for Toppin ($14.0 million) would basically be salary-neutral, so that wouldn’t have a major effect on the Sixers’ overall cap sheet. The No. 6 pick will likely cost $8.2 million.

So, where does that leave the Sixers? MPJ, Embiid, Maxey and McCain would earn a combined $135.7 million. Add Toppin and the No. 6 pick, and the Sixers would be at roughly $158.0 million.

If the Sixers stay under the $195.9 million first apron, they’d have the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to offer Yabusele and/or another free agent. If they go over the first apron but stay below the $207.8 million second apron, they’d have the $5.7 million taxpayer MLE. So from here, it’d just be a matter of how much it’d cost to re-sign Grimes and how much space that leaves them under either of the aprons.

Using the non-taxpayer MLE would hard-cap the Sixers at the first apron, Because of that, I’m guessing they limit themselves to only the taxpayer MLE this summer. But as long as Grimes doesn’t get an offer north of $25 million annually, they should have more than enough room under the second apron to maintain access to the taxpayer MLE in this scenario.

noahflax
What regrettable all-in move by Morey is not on our collective radar at this time?

A Kevin Durant trade seems like the obvious answer. He and PG are earning a roughly equivalent amount of money, and that could be a way for the Suns to replenish their depleted stock of draft picks while still feigning competitiveness. With that said, I’m not sure which team I’d hate that trade for more. (The answer might just be “yes.”)

I also can’t rule out the Zion trade framework that Avi pitched above. Or, here’s an interesting hypothetical: Which team would say no to Zion and salary filler for Embiid? Embiid has gotten much closer to his ceiling than Zion has, but he might have peaked already, whereas there’s still hope for Zion to become transcendent if he finally manages to stay healthy.

Would the Pelicans be willing to gamble on Embiid’s health, knowing they’d have no way out of his contract like they do with Zion? The Sixers would have to find a new center elsewhere, but I could see both teams at least considering a challenge trade like that.

fitz164
Now that are are seeing teams firing their coaches and/or GMs, do you think any of those teams could make some impulse moves and we could capitalize on them?

Because so few teams project to have cap space this offseason, this could be an explosive summer when it comes to trades. Teams that fired their coaches and/or GMs largely did so because they fell short of expectations, so I’d expect most (if not all) of them to explore their options on the trade market.

I touched upon the possibility of a PG trade to Denver last week since the Nuggets were reportedly interested in him last offseason. I’d be on board with a general framework of PG for MPJ. Anyone who’s hoping to pry MPJ or another player away from the Nuggets should hope the Clippers make quick work of them in the first round.

The Kings are a virtual lock to do something reckless. Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported in early March that Domantas Sabonis was “expected to seek clarity about the organization’s plan in the offseason,” and that was before they “mutually parted ways” with GM Monte McNair right after their play-in loss Wednesday night. They clearly conducted a widespread search for their next GM, as evidenced by them hiring Scott Perry roughly 12 hours later.

The Sixers shouldn’t have interest in any of Sabonis, Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan, but Keegan Murray would be worth taking a flier on if the Kings are having a full-on fire sale. The same goes for Malik Monk if the Sixers unexpectedly lose Grimes in free agency.

We should also expect to see Zion on the trade block this offseason, according to Shamit Dua of the In The N.O. Substack. (Shamit is plugged in with the Pelicans— he broke news of their interest in Joe Dumars well before Shams Charania did on Monday.) I’d imagine both Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are still largely off-limits, but the Sixers should be interested in either one if they were available.

JojoTheProcessEmbiid
Is a hotdog a sandwich?

By the letter of the law, maybe. By common sense? Hell no.

As always, big thanks to everyone who asked questions this week! Enjoy the start of the playoffs this weekend, and we’ll catch you right back here next week.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...e-paul-george-zion-williamson-sixers-pelicans

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

What Lonnie Walker IV’s short stint back in the league means for him going forward

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

It might not have been the homecoming Walker expected, but he was able to give teams another look at what he can do in this league.

Welcome home Lonnie, everything is on fire.

After being unable to find a home in the NBA after preseason, the Reading, PA native signed overseas where he thought he’d be spending the remainder of the year. About an hour before his escape clause expired, Walker signed with the Sixers.

Three days later, he played nine minutes, missed all three of his shots, and grabbed two rebounds in his debut with the team.

That game ended up being a 105-103 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. A game that saw Joel Embiid get benched for the fourth quarter and a Nic Claxton putback at the buzzer that sank any hope of this team pulling themselves out of this cursed season.

Just five games into his tenure, any chance of Walker playing with the “real” version of this Sixers team was gone, as Paul George and Tyrese Maxey’s seasons also ended early due to nagging injuries.

The majority of Walker’s time here this season was for an organization hoping to lose games, and they were successful in that, going 3-17 in the games in which he appeared. Even he wasn’t safe from the injury bug that bit the team the entire season. He suffered a concussion after taking a hard fall that ended up causing him to miss seven games.

While it didn’t result in many wins, Walker did show production in his re-audition to the league. He averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Those are all slightly above his career averages, except with slightly more usage.

He made 35.4% of his three-pointers, taking 4.3 attempts per game. He had a 53.2% effective field goal percentage, which is only the 43rd percentile across the league, but still one of his highest marks. It wasn’t just the 31 points that tied a career-high for him in the season finale, but he ended on quite a strong note. He averaged 19 points over the last eight games, with a 57% effective field goal percentage.

Something Walker said when he first arrived in Philadelphia was that he wanted to show he could do more than score. That was still his calling card in his time here, but his passing numbers were better.

It’s important to remember this is a 20-game sample size late in the year, but he had a career-high 16.6 assist rate. Perhaps more importantly, his assist to usage rate was also a career-high at 0.78, but again, take it with all the grains of salt for that time of the season.

None of these numbers are earth-shattering, but they affirm Walker belongs on some NBA roster, even if it’s hard to say which one. Ironically, his minutes would have been a lot more helpful than the ones Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson were giving while the Sixers were actually still trying to win games.

Ideally, this team is bringing back Quentin Grimes along with Maxey and Jared McCain. Whatever happens with the draft and the rest of the offseason, it’s already a crowded backcourt for Walker to return to.

The team has a $2.9 million club option on him next season, and it’s hard to see them picking that up with the other veterans who have player options (don’t worry we’ll get to them in this series.)

Walker showed he is still able to get buckets at a decent rate in this league, now he just needs a team who needs that from him.

Season Grade: B-

**All stats used are from salaryswish, cleaningtheglass, and basketball reference.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...e-walker-joel-embiid-tyrese-maxey-paul-george

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Ranking the top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

It’s officially draft season (for the Sixers, at least).

With the NBA Lottery just weeks away, Sixers fans are back to watching the odds. Right now, there’s a 63.9% chance they keep their first-round pick, which would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside the top six. But as any fan knows, lottery night is anything but predictable.

That randomness only adds to the buzz around the 2025 draft, which is looking like one of the deepest in years. There’s real star power up top — from skilled wings to polished bigs —and teams have a shot at landing a true difference-maker.

At the top, four names are starting to separate from the pack. Here’s how I’d rank them right now:

1. Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, 6’9, 205 lbs​

It’s tough to make a valid argument against Cooper Flagg as the crown jewel of this draft class — and I’m not about to try. He sits atop just about every major draft board, and for good reason. Flagg is as complete a prospect as we’ve seen in years, with virtually no glaring weaknesses on either end of the floor.

During his lone season at Duke, Flagg answered two of the biggest questions surrounding his game: shooting and shot creation. In 37 games, he knocked down 38.5% of his threes on 3.6 attempts per game — a strong number that speaks to real growth and confidence from deep. While his handle could still use some tightening, he showed a consistent ability to create his own shot and proved he’s more than capable of getting buckets without relying on others.

Outside of those early concerns, Flagg’s game is as polished as they come. He’s a force on the defensive end, averaging 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, with the size, athleticism, and instincts to be a versatile stopper at the next level. He’s already shown the ability to guard multiple positions and switch seamlessly across the floor — traits that make him a dream fit in today’s NBA defenses.

Flagg has all the tools to be a game-changer on defense, but he also stepped up as Duke’s go-to scorer in key moments. Offensively, he uses his size to his advantage, showing the ability to finish through contact at the rim while also knocking down shots from the perimeter. He’s reliable at the line, too, converting 84% of his free throws on a strong volume, yet another sign of his polish and poise under pressure.

Flagg is still just 18 years old, with plenty of runway left to develop, but he’s already proven himself as the best prospect in this class. Despite his youth, he plays with a maturity beyond his years and should be able to contribute from day one in the NBA, all while offering elite long-term upside.

2. Dylan Harper, PG/SG, 6’6, 220 lbs​

If Flagg weren’t in this class, there’s a strong case for Dylan Harper as the projected No. 1 pick. The Rutgers standout has an ideal frame for a lead guard at 6-foot-6, paired with a polished offensive skill set. Harper excels at creating his own shot, showing advanced footwork, elite body control, and a natural feel for scoring from all three levels.

Most young point guards tend to struggle with decision-making and reading the game at speed, but that’s not the case with Harper. At Rutgers, he consistently made smart, composed reads, showing maturity beyond his years. Despite a high usage rate and heavy minutes, he maintained a relatively low turnover rate, a testament to his poise and control as a floor general.

The biggest knock on Harper’s game is his lack of elite athleticism — his explosiveness and top-end speed are average at best. But that hasn’t held him back, particularly on the defensive end. He consistently played with effort and poise, moved his feet well, and showed a strong ability to navigate screens. He may not be a freak athlete, but he more than holds his own thanks to his instincts, discipline, and physical frame.

Harper might not have the highest ceiling in this class — a key factor when you’re considering a top-three pick — but he arguably has the highest floor outside of Flagg. Guards this refined, this early, are a rare find. With his size, feel, and maturity, Harper should be the first name called after Flagg — and whichever team lands him will be getting a ready-made contributor with long-term starter potential.

3. V.J. Edgecombe, SG, 6’5, 180 lbs​

You can just about pencil in Flagg and Harper at the top two spots, with the real intrigue of the draft beginning at No. 3. My opinion on this has evolved quite a bit, but for now, I’d slot Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe in.

My thinking here is to go with the player who has the highest upside — and outside of Flagg and Harper, that’s Edgecombe. He has an NBA-ready frame, and every conversation about him begins with his elite, fluid athleticism. At 6-foot-5, he’s a quick, explosive guard with broad shoulders and a lightning-fast first step that allows him to blow by defenders and get to the rim with ease.

Edgecombe is a well-rounded scorer with excellent driving ability and a steadily improving jump shot. In his lone season at Baylor, he shot a solid 34 percent from three on a healthy volume of 4.6 attempts per game. His shooting mechanics are fundamentally sound, and with a few minor adjustments, he projects as a capable and confident perimeter shooter.

Edgecombe is also one of the top defensive prospects in this draft class. He boasts a high defensive IQ, which shows up in the box score with 2.1 steals per game. Though primarily viewed as a guard, he also displays impressive timing and instincts as a shot blocker, recording 20 blocks in 33 collegiate games.

The primary concerns surrounding Edgecombe center on the refinement of his overall game. While he’s capable of putting the ball on the floor, his handle still needs tightening, especially when facing higher-level defenders. Much of his current success relies on his physical tools — his frame and athleticism — rather than finesse or polish. However, with the right development and coaching, improved skill work combined with his elite physical traits could make him a highly valuable two-way player.

Edgecombe may not be the third-best player in the draft right away, but his physical tools, paired with his proven production, make a strong case for him at the No. 3 spot. He possesses natural abilities that you can’t teach, and with continued development, his ceiling could be among the highest in the class.

4. Ace Bailey, SF/PF, 6’10, 200 lbs​

Rounding out the top tier is Harper’s teammate at Rutgers, Ace Bailey. Once widely regarded as a top-two prospect heading into the season, Bailey has gradually slipped down draft boards. Still, I have him closing out the elite group in the 2025 class — and in my opinion, whichever team lands him at No. 4 is getting excellent value.

So, why has Bailey slid to the fourth spot on my board? There are a few reasons. He relies heavily on his jumper, which has produced mixed results. His tendency to settle for contested shots, combined with an inconsistent ability to create his own offense, has impacted both his individual efficiency and his team’s flow. His handle needs refinement, and his playmaking can be limited, often struggling with tunnel vision when attacking or looking for his shot. I would argue that his passing isn’t as bad as some have advertised or the box score suggests, but he’ll certainly need to improve this aspect of his game.

Despite his ideal frame, Bailey has been fairly average on the defensive end. He’s shown flashes as an off-ball or help defender, but his on-ball defense remains inconsistent, and he can be found ball-watching or being out of position. Compared to someone like Edgecombe, Bailey struggles to consistently impact the game beyond scoring and rebounding, which is a concern in today’s NBA, where well-rounded skill sets are increasingly valued.

That said, there’s still plenty to like about Bailey’s game — especially if he falls outside the top three. At that point in the draft, his upside and scoring potential represent excellent value. He brings strong physical tools to the forward position, with good length, decent size, and athleticism. He covers ground quickly with long strides and excels in transition. Offensively, he has a smooth midrange pull-up and intriguing potential as a post scorer. Thanks to his length, size, and high release point, he’s capable of getting tough shots off even against tight defense.

The key to Bailey unlocking his full potential lies in refining his basketball IQ, tightening his handle, and consistently getting into the paint. If he’s able to develop in those areas, there’s a real path for him to emerge as a top player in this draft class.

Opinions can shift, injuries can happen, and the draft landscape can change quickly depending on how the lottery plays out. Still, one way or another, it feels increasingly likely that Flagg, Harper, Edgecombe and Bailey will be the first four prospects off the board — in some order. How teams prioritize upside, fit and versatility will ultimately determine the sequence, but the top tier is starting to take shape.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...g-dylan-harper-ace-bailey-vj-edgecombe-sixers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Does Jared Butler have a future in Philadelphia?

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

For the Sixers fans who have long called for J. Butler back in Philadelphia, here you go.

While many of his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates arrived via 10-day contracts or hardship exceptions, Jared Butler joined the Sixers with a draft capital sunk cost behind his acquisition. Prior to the trade deadline in February, Daryl Morey sent Reggie Jackson and a 2026 first-round pick (least favorable between the Clippers, Thunder, and Rockets) to Washington in exchange for Butler and four future second-round picks. Butler’s season-high 26 points against the Sixers in early January, when he was far and away the best player on the floor for the Wizards, surely was a factor in bringing him into the fold. Within a week, the Sixers had converted Butler from a two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. I don’t have an NBA version of the Jimmy Johnson NFL trade value chart to analyze that pick exchange, but clearly, the Sixers organization felt Butler was a guy they wanted to keep around.

So where does our assessment stand with the Sixers’ season mercifully concluded? After taking a bit of time to enter Nick Nurse’s circle of trust, Butler made 28 appearances as a Sixer, including 17 starts. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists against 1.8 turnovers, shooting 35.2 percent from three on 4.6 attempts per game. He started the final six games of the season, averaging 15.8 points and 5.3 assists across that stretch. While Butler’s 42.6 percent mark from the field overall isn’t stellar, I’d attribute that more to a small sample size given his better numbers during the year and a half prior in Washington. Given the whole picture, we saw a player who can distribute relatively efficiently, space the floor adequately, and play hard-nosed defense.

Philadelphia will have a team option for Butler next season at $2.35 million. The front office has until June 29 to make a decision on the option, so the NBA draft will be in the rearview mirror, but the team will not have been able to begin negotiating with free agents yet. Still, a minimum salary slot is expected to be close to the same dollar value, meaning the decision of whether or not to keep Butler will not be a financial one.

Ultimately, I do feel like Butler will be back in Philadelphia next season. During end-of-season interviews, Morey said the roster moving forward will represent “a younger, more dynamic group.” Butler certainly fits that mold. He will only be turning 25 years old in August and this spring was the first time he really received an extended look at the NBA level. Based on what we saw following his arrival to Philadelphia, Butler has already shown he has a floor as a competent reserve point guard in this league. I’d be much more inclined to retain him and see if he can grow into anything more, rather than bring in a veteran in the vein of Kyle Lowry or Eric Gordon. Sure, there might be higher-ceiling young players available, but those likely aren’t guys who are going to be signing at around a minimum salary slot.

Player Grade: B

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...elphia-76ers-sixers-nba-offseason-daryl-morey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

How a looming ‘free-agent recession’ could help the Sixers

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The Sixers might not face as much competition as feared for Quentin Grimes, Guerschon Yabusele and Kelly Oubre Jr. in free agency this offseason.

The Sixers entered last offseason with the ability to create more than $60 million in salary-cap space. This offseason, they’re far more limited in what they can do.

After signing Paul George and Tyrese Maxey to max contracts last summer, the Sixers effectively locked themselves into being an over-the-cap team for the next few years. Those two, Joel Embiid and Jared McCain alone will earn roughly $149.1 million in 2025-26, which is only $5.5 million less than the projected $154.6 million salary cap.

Rather than making to look a major free-agent splash, the Sixers’ top priorities this offseason will likely be retaining their own free agents. Quentin Grimes is heading into restricted free agency, Guerschon Yabusele will be an unrestricted free agent, and Kelly Oubre Jr. could join Yabusele as a UFA if he declines his $8.4 million player option.

Grimes and Yabusele figure to draw interest from other teams in free agency, as does Oubre if he opts out. However, the Brooklyn Nets might wind up being the only team with significant cap space this offseason. That has one prominent agent preparing clients for “a free-agent recession,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

“There’s only one team that has a lot of cap space [Brooklyn] and they may want to do a slower rebuild and aren’t looking to spend it all now,” another agent told Windhorst. “I’ve never seen a free agency where only one team has real cap space in my career. These free agents are f—ked.”

That should be music to the ears of Sixers fans hoping to keep Grimes, Yabusele and/or Oubre.

When Grimes arrived in Philly at the trade deadline, he seemed like a candidate for the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception at best. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 threes per game across his 47 appearances with the Dallas Mavericks while shooting 46.3 percent overall and 39.8 percent from deep. No one could have predicted what would come next.

Across his 28 games with the Sixers, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.9 three-pointers and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.9 percent overall and 37.3 percent from deep. He did most of his damage with all three of Maxey, Embiid and George sidelined, which meant he was the top option on the opponents’ scouting report every night. In other words, he might have earned himself a ton of money by showing new dimensions to his game.

Well, he might have in a normal offseason. Given the projected dearth of cap space around the league this summer, Grimes might be facing a chillier-than-expected market if the Nets don’t break the bank on him. And it seems like Brooklyn may have its eyes on a bigger prize.

“They’ve sent the message that if they do anything major with their space, it’s likely going to be through trade, not signings,” a rival executive told Windhorst of the Nets. “Even if that trade doesn’t happen this summer, they’ll want to keep their options open.”

Grimes could always explore sign-and-trade possibilities, although teams over either apron aren’t allowed to acquire players that way. Six teams are already projected to be over the first apron next season, including the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, while four others are projected to be within $5 million of the first apron.

Even in a normal offseason, restricted free agency tends to chill interest in players. Teams aren’t allowed to officially sign RFAs to offer sheets until after the July Moratorium expires on July 6, so they have to preserve their cap space through the opening wave of free agency. That costs them a shot at the players who (unofficially) fly off the board right away.

If the Sixers don’t have to break the bank for Grimes, that could help them with the rest of their roster-building this offseason. The same goes for Oubre unexpectedly picking up his player option rather than testing free agency and hoping for more (perhaps via his Early Bird rights).

As we’ve already covered ad nauseam, all of the Sixers’ major decisions this summer are interconnected, particularly regarding Yabusele. The less they spend to retain Grimes and/or Oubre, the higher the chance that they’ll at least maintain access to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception, which they’d lose if they cross the second apron. Since they only have non-Bird rights on Yabu, they might have to spend the taxpayer MLE to re-sign him.

However, they should also explore their other options in that salary range before pulling the trigger on re-signing Yabu. After all, if the predictions of a free-agent recession come true, it won’t only affect the Sixers’ free agents.

Last offseason, the likes of Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr. and Tyus Jones all wound up signing one-year, minimum-salary contracts. If some teams across the league decide not to spend their respective mid-level exceptions—they could instead save them to use as an in-season trade exception—the Sixers might be able to find an upgrade over Yabusele with their taxpayer MLE.

In his end-of-season press conference, team president Daryl Morey pledged that the Sixers would get “younger” and “more dynamic” this offseason. That suggests they won’t prioritize past-their-prime veterans in free agency. However, Morey and the Sixers’ front office have unearthed bargain-bin gems in Oubre and Yabusele over the past two offseasons. Who’s to say lightning won’t strike a third time this summer?

It only takes one team to throw a larger-than-expected offer at any of the Sixers’ free agents to blow up their offseason plans. But if they’re able to keep Oubre and Grimes without splurging on either one, it could increase their chances of fortifying their supporting cast with the taxpayer MLE. Whether it’s re-signing Yabusele as well or pursuing an external option, that will be their best avenue to add talent in free agency. (Provided they have access to it, that is.)

Staying under the second apron to maintain flexibility on both the free-agent and trade fronts figures to be an organization priority, particularly given Embiid’s uncertain outlook. A chilly free-agent market would do wonders for the Sixers’ cause in that regard.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...es-kelly-oubre-guerschon-yabusele-daryl-morey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Andre Drummond’s return to Philadelphia never got off the ground

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

A toe injury made what was already a miserable season even worse for the Sixers’ Joel Embiid insurance.

Well that’s what happens when you tell the universe your plans.

After Joel Embiid was sidelined for a significant portion of the 2023-24 season, with the Sixers going 11-18 in games he missed, he set out the following summer to recruit Andre Drummond to back him up. The hope was that Drummond would be able to scale up to starter minutes should Embiid be unavailable for an extended period of time.

It even seemed like they had built in some of those games as part of a plan to manage Embiid through the season.

Obviously everything fell apart instantly.

Embiid was never able to healthy to string together a consistent stretch of games played. Drummond did little to right the ship in that absence before being plagued with an injury of his own.

Starting in 23 of the 40 games he appeared in this season, Drummond posted his lowest rebounds per game average since his rookie season, with just 7.8 per game. He averaged 7.3 points per game on a career-low 50.6% effective field goal percentage.

Even before injuring his toe in December (perhaps out of frustration due to a temporary ejection), Drummond was a liability when he was on the floor.

Lineups with him were outscored by 16.2 points per 100 possessions, and allowed opposing teams to have a 58.7% effective field goal percentage. Both of those marks fall within just the fourth percentile in the league. Those groups allowed opponents to score 121.4 points per 100, and a lot of that boiled down to him being unable to protect the rim. His block rate also plummeted to 1.3%, another career-worst.

The toe injury was something that seriously hampered him for much of the year, and the state of the team motivating him to try to push through it almost certainly didn’t help. Drummond was only able to play 16 of the 55 games that followed his injury against the Spurs.

Throughout the season, Nick Nurse often said any time he tried to get back on his feet, the injury would flare up badly again.

It seemed to bother Drummond more than expected. After one of his few positive games on the year, dropping 25 points and 18 rebounds in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, he remarked that he “didn’t know how much you needed a big toe to do what I do.” He only appeared in four more games after that.

After a productive half-season at the beginning of 2021-22, the reunion could not have gone worse. The emergence of rookie Adem Bona down the stretch only seemed to shine a brighter light on how diminished Drummond seemed this season.

With that being said, it’s hard to see him finding better value on the open market than the $5 million player option he has to return to the Sixers next season. Perhaps there’s a trade this summer they can roll up that salary into, or just use a draft pick to dump his contract.

Odds are though, Drummond will be back on the roster for the start of next season. For now, the Sixers’ best hope is he can rest up and look somewhat better physically come training camp.

At his exit interview, he was confident that the injury would now be able to heal that he can take some time off. He said trying to muscle through it was something his body rejected, something only rest will make better. A big concern though is his 2024-25 stats before and after the injury are very similar.

Season Grade: D

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...season-grades-philadelphia-sixers-joel-embiid

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers offseason mailbag: Let the chaos begin

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The playoffs will soon force some teams into confronting tough questions this offseason. Could the Sixers take advantage?

The only silver lining to the Sixers missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years is how much less stressful this time of year is.

Sure, we’ll have to sweat the results of the draft lottery, but that isn’t until mid-May. Until then, we can watch how the playoffs unfold with morbid curiosity, particularly as teams with championship expectations fall flat on their faces.

Vultures are already starting to hover over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. It’s hard to imagine the Memphis Grizzlies running back the same group after getting pantsed by the Oklahoma City Thunder, too. And if the New York Knicks wind up losing to the Detroit Pistons (aka the Fightin’ Tobias Harrises), it’ll be DEFCON 1 in the Big Apple this summer.

With that in mind, it’s time for another offseason mailbag. So, what questions do you have after seeing how the first few days of the playoffs shook out? Drop them in the comments section below or send them to me on Bluesky (@btoporek.bsky.social) and I’ll answer as many as I can tomorrow.

In the meantime, care to join me on the Orlando Magic bandwagon?

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025/4/23/24414465/sixers-offseason-mailbag-let-the-chaos-begin

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Will the Eric Gordon Sixers era continue into 2025-26?

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

The veteran guard looked to be hitting his stride before an injury sidelined him for the season.

When Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers signed then-35-year-old Eric Gordon last offseason, I understood the vision. The veteran guard had a productive season last year in Phoenix, shooting 37.8 percent from three and spacing the floor from 25 feet out for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and company. Morey decided to reunite with the former Houston Rocket to do the same thing in Philadelphia for the Sixers’ new Big 3.

Then, Gordon got off to an epic shooting slump at the beginning of his Sixers’ career. He shot 23.1 percent from three in October and 24.1 percent in November. Gordon then only played three games in December due to having his wisdom teeth removed. The signing certainly looked like a bust, and you chalked it up to the Sixers being one year too late on getting in on Gordon.

Except...everything turned around for the veteran as the calendar turned to 2025. Freed from the pain of inflamed wisdom teeth, Gordon shot 52.6 percent from three in January. He absolutely helped open things up for Tyrese Maxey, who looked to turn his season around with a bunch of 30-point games and a couple 40-spots. Gordon ended the month with six straight games of making at least three triples. Not entirely coincidentally, the Sixers went 4-2 across that stretch, the last vestiges of the ‘Philadelphia should still make a push for the Play-In Tournament’ stage of the season.

Sadly, though, Gordon then suffered a wrist injury and last appeared in a game on February 9. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist in late February, and is currently scheduled to be re-evaluated next month. So what does the future hold for Gordon with the Sixers?

The now-36-year-old has a $3.47 million player option for next season. Given Morey’s ‘younger and more dynamic’ edict for next season, Gordon wouldn’t appear to be in the team’s plans. But coming off an injury in his mid-30’s, it’s reasonable to assume Gordon wouldn’t have a ton of suitors if he were to enter free agency. The most prudent option for him may be to opt in and take the guaranteed money, even if it means he’s a third-stringer in the guard rotation next season and racks up a load of DNP-CD’s.

Surely, the best path forward for the Sixers would involve Gordon opting out of his option. That money and deep rotation spot would be better served earmarked for a younger guard like Jared Butler who could still be on the upward trajectory of his development curve. Still, if Gordon does opt in for next season, I wouldn’t consider it a disaster. We saw over the month of January that Gordon can still contribute at a high level in his specific role. You would cross your fingers that he could have better injury luck next season (admittedly tough for someone who will turn 37 in December) and has something left in the tank.

Player Grade: C-

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-continue-into-2025-26-philadelphia-76ers-nba

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Why Derik Queen would be an enticing fit for the Sixers

Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Go-to scoring ability, advantage creation, elite passing, and alpha mentality give Maryland’s Derik Queen star upside and make him a top-three prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft.

With the NBA Draft lottery on the horizon on May 12, a massive teetering point for both the immediate and long-term future of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise awaits.

While the fan base is hoping the basketball gods will smile down on them once again and land the Sixers with No. 1 overall selection and the fortune of selecting sure-fire franchise-altering superstar Cooper Flagg, the more likely scenario is that the Sixers will be selecting in the three to six range, which would leave them with a multitude of options.

Many Sixers fans and mock drafters have the Sixers slated to target the likes of Rutgers’ sharp shooting forward Ace Bailey, Baylor’s hyper athletic two-way star V.J. Edgecombe, and Texas’s prolific scorer Tre Johnson — all three of which are fine prospects, all worthy of consideration. I however believe that the third-best prospect in this class and the guy that the Sixers should target if they land outside of the top two selection is none other than Baltimore native and former Montverde Academy turned Maryland star Derik Queen.

The Case for Derik Queen​

Queen is a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center/power forward. Queen’s guard-like handle, high-level passing feel, playmaking, interior scoring, touch, and elite advantage creation at his size make him one of the few realistic star bets in this class. I’m typically not one for comparisons but Queen’s rare skillset flashes glimpses of Alperen Sengun, a young Boris Diaw and Naz Reid.

Derik Queen has all the makings of a potential star at the next level. Showed it all in the Big 10 Tournament vs Michigan. pic.twitter.com/kV6UOaQOlU

— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 23, 2025​

Derik Queen Stats:​

16.5 PPG

9.0 TRB

2.0 AST

59.1 TS%

76.6% FT (6.1 FTA)

1.1 BLK

1.1 STL

Strengths​

Ball Handling: Queen will instantly become one of the best ball handling bigs in the NBA. Queen’s tight handle and coordination make him one of the best self-creators in the class when driving to the rim from the perimeter, playing out of the post, and make him a grab-and-go threat in transition with the ability to lead the break where he flashes an array of guard like moves from behind-the-back dribbles, in and outs, crossovers, and more. Queen is great at changing speeds, setting up his attacks with hesitation dribbles and crossovers. Queen’s footwork coupled with a blend of power and finesse make him a nightmare to defend for bigs on the perimeter and in the open floor.

Wiring: Queen is made up of all the right stuff. Queen is known for his aggressive mentality and inner belief that he is the best player on any court that he steps on, a trait possessed by many of the best players in the world. Queen is a high feel, high IQ player who continues to improve on a sharp curve.

Interior Scoring/Shotmaking: Queen is dominant force in the paint on both post ups and drives. His elite combination of footwork, body control, touch, and ability to finish with both hands make him a force around the rim. He has an innate feel and slipperiness to him at the basket, whether it's attacking the rim as a one-man fastbreak in transition, attacking in faceup situations out of the mid post, being a play finisher as a cutter off the ball, or playing as a true roll man or short roll man in pick-and-roll situations where he displays good touch on floaters, runners, and an array of shot making tricks both on and off balance.

Queen is also highly skilled playing with his back to the basket as a true post scoring option. He has a variety of moves and finishes with both hands in his arsenal. He is a prolific and efficient scorer at the rim. Per Synergy ,Queen converted on 68% of his attempts at the rim in his lone season at Maryland with a large majority of those attempts being self-created. He also threw down 44 dunks on the season, a good number for a guy that isn’t particularly known for his vertical athleticism. Queen’s coordination and quickness at his size allow him to generate force and dislodge defenders on drives and face ups as well as score over and around defenders in the post.

Derik Queen combination of footwork, body control, touch, and ability to finish with both hands makes him a dominant force as a driver and interior scorer. pic.twitter.com/hAugwzM2aj

— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 23, 2025​

Passing/Playmaking: Queen flashes the passing ability and playmaking chops that could lead to him being a true offensive hub at the next level. Queen is adept at making both basic and more advanced passing reads, whether its passes out of the short roll, making the extra pass to a shooter, skip passes to shooters with both hands off movement, over the head passes to cutters out of the post, dump offs to his fellow big men on drives, outlet passes to ignite a break, or getting into his bag of no looks, Queen is a very advanced passer despite the stat sheet showing just two assist per game. Queen’s passing creativity, anticipation, and feel show up all over the tape dating back to his days at Montverde. With an increased usage as the hub of sets and early offense — as well as better players around him — expect to see Queen’s assist numbers make a considerable leap in the NBA that put him amongst one of the best big man passers in the league.

Derik Queen. One of the best big man passers on earth. Star. pic.twitter.com/QLatUr7PyN

— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 23, 2025​

Functional Athleticism: This is where I most deviate from the consensus on Queen. The popular sentiment is that he isn’t an explosive athlete and that that will hold him back in the NBA. While him not being an explosive athlete from a raw vertical leaping and straight-line speed standpoint is true, I couldn’t disagree more with the narrative that he is unathletic. What Queen lacks in vertical explosion and straight line speed he makes up for in other areas. Queen is extremely quick and agile at his size allowing him to slide his feet on the perimeter vs. just about any five man and most fours. Queen has made notable improvements to his body over the last few years and continues to do so which could lead to even more untapped athletic development. Queen also has shown the ability at times to stifle some guards on switches and force them into contested shots or turnovers.

Derik Queen perimeter defense.
Clip 1: Slides his feet well on initial drive to stifle Chase Ross, switches onto Kam Jones, despite Jones making the shot forces him to change direction and finish tough contested scoop shot. Tip your cap.
Clip 2: Cuts off drive forces offensive… pic.twitter.com/4NQ8FR945b

— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 23, 2025​

Queen beats defenders off the bounce with a sudden first step as a ball handler. Queen is extremely flexible, coordinated, fluid for a guy his size and makes him a mismatch nightmare for slower footed and paint-oriented bigs. Queen’s flexibility combined with his touch allows for him to be a dynamic and versatile finisher around the rim, finishing shots at awkward angles and off rhythm. A great example of this is on his game-winner to send Maryland to the Sweet 16.

pic.twitter.com/KvkHgoCnp0

— derik queen (@derikqueen1) April 17, 2025​

DERIK QUEEN pic.twitter.com/sTTWMYda6x

— Tankathon.com (@tankathon) March 24, 2025​

Areas of Concern​

Shooting: Queen was effectively a non-threat as a perimeter jump shooter throughout the season. He did however knock down five of his seven threes on the season in his last four games of the season, going 5-for-11 from beyond the arc in that span. Queen finished the year just a pedestrian 35% on mid-range jumpers and just 20% from three. Queen did however shoot 76.6% from the foul line and as we have touched on has elite touch around the rim. That combined with his overall feel lend to some optimism that he may develop a reliable jump shot over time. Shooting is a massive swing skill for Queen and his overall upside. A jumper that defenses have to respect would allow him to even further bend defenses and leverage the other areas of his game — as well as add a dimension to his game and allow him to fit in more lineup context if he can be a spacer.

Derik Queen knocked down two threes in Marylands Round of 32 win vs Colorado State. Queen started to shoot the ball well late in the season going 5-for-11 from three over his final four games of the year. pic.twitter.com/nWHWcQgn4f

— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) April 23, 2025​

Interior Defense and Physical Tools: Queen’s lack of size standing at just 6-foot-10 with just a 7-foot wingspan coupled with his lack of vertical athleticism causes him issues defending against bigger centers in the post and limits his ability to protect the rim and contest shots. He does have solid timing and hands that allow him to deflect some passes and block shots against drivers and as a weakside defender. Queens attention and intensity on the defensive end came and went at times throughout the season. These limitations will likely mean that he’ll guard fours — at least early in his career — ideally next to a more traditional rim protector.

Fit with Sixers​

Derik Queen has been one of the more divisive evaluations amongst scouts and analysts this draft cycle. Some have their doubts and claim he is a tweener without a position, lacks the necessary vertical pop, defensive impact, and believe without shooting development his game isn’t a fit for today's NBA. But his diverse skillset, blend of passing, ball handling, and scoring make him the ultimate chess piece. Queen’s advantage creation and playmaking give him all the makings of a dynamic offensive hub and initiator with legitimate star upside.

Queen would be a fun fit alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George in the Sixers’ frontcourt in the present and would give the Sixers a core running mate alongside Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain for the foreseeable future. The shooting from the Sixers’ guards coupled with Queen’s passing — and Queen ideally paired alongside a primary rim protector and stretch big like Embiid — make his fit with the Sixers even more enticing.

I rest my case. Draft Derik Queen and reap the rewards.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...d-flagg-harper-bailey-analyst-scouting-report

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Kyle Lowry hopes to stay with Sixers, mentor teammates for 20th NBA season

Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images

Despite an injury-plagued, tumultuous season, Kyle Lowry is hoping to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers for what would be his twentieth season in the NBA, even if it means playing less and mentoring more.

There were times this season that you might have forgotten that Kyle Lowry was on the Philadelphia 76ers roster.

Despite featuring in 25 of the Sixers’ first 33 games to start the season, Lowry’s campaign coming off the bench for Philadelphia became quickly derailed by injuries. On Feb. 9, his season essentially came to an end as a nagging right hip injury sidelined him for 28 of the Sixers’ last 30 contests.

(He ultimately did return to play in two meaningless games at the very end of the Sixers’ tank—I mean, regular season—but not much to write home about there.)

Lowry ended up playing just 35 games total, his lowest since his rookie season in which he played 10 games for the Memphis Grizzlies back in 2006-07. This season, he averaged just 3.9 points, shooting 35% from the floor with 1.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game—the lowest marks in each category he’s posted in his long NBA career.

Lowry also turned 39 years old last month, making him one of the oldest active players in the association just behind 40-year-old LeBron James and alongside other 39-year-olds such as Chris Paul, Al Horford and P.J. Tucker. Clearly, there’s a lot of variance regarding what’s left in the tank at this age from player to player.

From what we did get to see of Lowry on the floor this past season, it’s clear that age and injuries are catching up with the NBA champion and six-time All-Star. The limitations of his mobility and speed were huge liabilities on the defensive end of the ball, especially when it came to trying to defend guards off the dribble. It’s understandable to say the least, but Lowry simply can’t keep up with the young feet and athleticism on opposing offenses.

His lack of burst and agility unfortunately carries over to the offensive end as well, with the hinderance relegating Lowry basically to the perimeter. Lowry took just 12 two-point field goals across 659 minutes played this season, mostly because he simply doesn’t have the athleticism to drive into the arc nor create space or shots for himself at this point. Defenses know he doesn’t pose a mobile threat anymore and that the only defending needed against him is running him off the line when he gets his hands on the ball. The more unfortunate part is that Lowry is not high-volume enough of a three-point shooter to even make up for it. In 18.9 minutes per contest this season, Lowry attempted just 2.5 triples per outing.

So, all in all, not only did Lowry not play much throughout this season due to injuries, but he wasn’t exactly stellar even when he did get on the floor. Sounds harsh, I know, but it’s the reality.

Lowry did, however, find other ways to try to contribute to what was a brutal slog of a Sixers’ season by becoming “Coach Lowry” to the barrage of young players the squad relied on to finish out the campaign.

Even though he was unavailable to play for 47 contests across the season, you would be hard-pressed to find many instances where Lowry wasn’t on the bench, in street clothes, barking orders and giving advice and encouragement to his teammates. For weeks on end, knowing he wasn’t playing and likely knowing he wasn’t going to play much more the entire season, Lowry was there keeping what was left of the Sixers’ roster engaged in what they were doing on the floor. And his teammates noticed, just ask Quentin Grimes.

“[Lowry] was a vocal leader for us. Even the games when he wasn’t playing—at halftime, pregame, after games, during practice—he’s always teaching the younger guys, always helping me out,” Grimes said. “When I first got to the team, even during games in that time, he was telling me where I could attack, where I can make plays if they’re doubling me, where the roll man might be, so he was definitely kind of like a big brother figure out there.”

This season was a disaster for Philadelphia, we all know that. Any positives or development the players and squad overall can take from this lost campaign could be a huge mental boost going into the summer and eventually going into the next season.

“Just coaching me out there on the court, because he’s a 19-year vet, he’s seen it all,” Grimes said. “He got an NBA championship and everything like that. So he’s seen everything that’s in the NBA. He was just helping me out really the whole time. I definitely benefitted from him for sure.”

Lowry has been through it all before over nearly two full decades in the association, but he hasn’t forgotten being that young player on the floor just looking for guidance. Now, he wants to be that guidance for the next generation of players alongside him, even if it means being mocked for being the old man on the squad.

“The only thing is they call me ancient, so it’s the only problem I have with it,” Lowry said. “But that’s what I’m here for, man. As a competitor, of course I want to be on the floor, playing and competing. But as an elder statesman in the league you get enjoyment out of watching these kids grow because I was once in their shoes and I’ve been through the things that they’ve been through. Sometimes playing, sometimes not playing, sometimes getting big minutes and having great shooting games, then having terrible shooting games and just figuring how to ride the wave and stay consistent is what I get out of that—just trying to help them be consistent.”

And if you ask Lowry, he’d like to be back next season for what would be his 20th campaign in the NBA, even if it means he’s not a big part of the rotation.

“Being a part of this season showed you guys I want at least to go out winning ... we all thought we’d be playing a little bit longer, and we thought we had a good team on paper, but you still got to put it down on the floor,” Lowry said. “So for me, it’s just about—I do want to play one more year at a level that I can compete and play as a team. Even if I’m not playing, I’m just here, or even if I am playing, but I still want to play one more year, and hopefully it’s here.”

Lowry will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the opportunity to go to any team in the association that offers him a deal, but he exited the 2024-25 season with an apparent preference to stay in his home city, with this organization and especially with one particular teammate.

“I have a great relationship with [Nick Nurse], of course, and I think the pride of being a Philadelphian and playing in Philadelphia, you want to figure out how to be a part of something different and special,” said Lowry, a North Philly native. “I think you guys all know how I feel about Tyrese Maxey, he’s the reason it’s been a blessing to be a part of this because he’s such a phenomenal kid and a phenomenal talent. But this organization deserves to be at the top of the top, and the city deserves it so I want to be a part of that. Hopefully I can.”

Lowry is, by all accounts, an absolute asset to a basketball team as a mentor and experienced veteran leader especially to the plethora of young players that saw playing time this season for the Sixers. That said, his health and limitations on the floor as he ages are dramatically evident, and it’s something that’s unlikely to turn around as Lowry enters his 40s.

What it comes down to is that it will be a tough ask and risky gamble for the Sixers to use one of just 15 standard contract slots on a player almost solely for mentoring and leadership. There’s immense value in those qualities, don’t get me wrong, especially for a team with young players that will benefit most from Lowry’s experience and advice. However, this is a Sixers squad that is no stranger to injuries to say the least, so locking up one of limited slots on the squad for Lowry to essentially be a player-coach (with heavy emphasis on the coach part) is a lot to ask.

In fact, it might just be a bit too much to ask.

PLAYER GRADE - D

BENCH COACH GRADE - A

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-lowry-quentin-grimes-nick-nurse-tyrese-maxey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Around the NBA: Elton Brand rumors swirl amongst front office shakeups

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The Sixers’ GM is one of the latest names to be brought up in the league’s new hiring cycle

Well, now what?

The Sixers have missed the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. Still a few weeks out from the May 12 lottery night, that gives the organization and the fanbase plenty of time to dread every possible outcome as they wait for the future of the franchise to be severely impacted by ping pong balls. So in the meantime, let’s look around the association to see what’s going on as other seasons wind down and some begin to kick into gear.

Elton Brand to be pursued by Hawks for general manager position ​

Another reunion may be in store for the old school Chevy. Failing to make it out of the play-in tournament, the Atlanta Hawks are dramatically shaking things up as they have dismissed general manager Landry Fields. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of the Stein Line have reported that current Sixers GM Elton Brand is expected to be a candidate for the position.

Sixers executive Elton Brand is expected to be among the candidates pursued by Atlanta as the Hawks begin their search for a new lead executive, league sources @JakeLFischer and me.

More around-the-league notes from @TheSteinLine: https://t.co/EzrFRnMbfY

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 21, 2025​

Brand spent a couple years in the twilight of his career with the Hawks from 2013-2015. Shortly after retiring, he began working his way up Philadephia’s front office. He became the general manager after the Burner Gate fiasco in 2018, and held that position for two seasons before the team brought in Daryl Morey as president of basketball operations beside him. In those two seasons, Brand oversaw the arrival and departure of Jimmy Butler, as well as the acquisitions of Tobias Harris and Al Horford.

In other front office news, the Sacramento Kings are reportedly making longtime executive Scott Perry their new general manager to replace Monty McNair. The LA Lakers have reportedly given Rob Pelinka an extension as he continues to be the biggest beneficiary of all time for answering his phone, and the Milwaukee Bucks are extending their general manager Jon Horst. That news comes despite the team being on the brink of going 0-for-2 in playoff series in the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.

Key injuries and storylines as playoffs heat up​

It’s fair to say the Sixers have never been winners of the break-up right?

Several first round playoff series have been impacted by players who used to call Philadelphia home. It seems all anyone can talk about is how much of a feel-good story the Detroit Pistons are, led by exciting young talent aided by veteran voices such as Tobias Harris. After struggling to produce in the first round last year against the New York Knicks, Harris has averaged 20 points on 58.3% field goal shooting as the tied series swings back to Detroit. In case anyone’s not mad enough, the Inquier’s Gina Mizell just wrote about Harris’ mentorship to this young group.

The LA Clippers weren’t able to pull out an overtime win in Game 1 despite 32 points from James Harden, but thanks to Kawhi Leonard turning back the clock to 2019, they were also able to even up their series on the road against the Denver Nuggets.

The Golden State Warriors could be in trouble as the aforementioned Butler suffered a nasty looking injury in the first half of their Game 2 loss to the Houston Rockets. He was unable to return due to a pelvis contusion.

More projected top picks declare for draft​

Now for the “no duh” section of the check-in. Two prospects likely headed for the top-5 of the 2025 draft have officially declared for it in the past week. Duke forward Cooper Flagg, likely to go first overall, announced on his social media that he will enter the draft.

Rutgers forward Ace Bailey also announced his intentions this week according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Like Flagg, Bailey has been in the top-5 of mock drafts for around a year now. The consensus has him going third, right after fellow Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-hawks-elton-brand-tobias-harris-james-harden