It has been rare in recent years for contending teams to operate under the cap in order to pursue star free agents. In each of the four NBA offseasons prior to 2024, between four and eight teams opened up cap room, and the majority of those clubs were coming off losing seasons and weren't going after top-tier free agents.
Prior to 2024, the last time an All-NBA-caliber free agent changed teams using cap room was in 2019, when Kawhi Leonard headed to Los Angeles and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving landed in Brooklyn. Both the Clippers and Nets were coming off winning seasons and viewed their free agent additions as moves that would help push them over the top, cementing their place among the NBA's top tier.
Despite the fact that no team had replicated that free agency feat in five years, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey began heading down that path over a year ago. When word broke in June of 2023 that Philadelphia wouldn't be pursuing a rookie scale extension with rising star Tyrese Maxey, it became clear that Morey's front office was prioritizing 2024 cap flexibility in the hopes of adding another All-Star to the club's core.
Not only did the 76ers achieve that goal, but they cleverly made use of every single dollar of their cap space and their room exception to sign nine-time All-Star Paul George and three additional rotation players while preserving a possible trade chip who could help them further maximize their flexibility.
Let's take a closer look at how the Sixers have navigated the cap and made the math work so far this offseason:
The 76ers had 13 of 16 players from last season's roster become free agents on July 1, as RealGM's transaction log shows, meaning they entered the new league year with just three players under contract: star center Joel Embiid ($51,415,938), backup big man Paul Reed ($7,723,000), and 22-year-old guard Ricky Council ($1,891,857).
Hi There Grandson, I wanna tell you about the good ol’ days when a young Allen Iverson played in Philly and it was nearly impossible not to root for them. Nowadays, I find that franchise repulsive! Yuk!
On paper this is good.
On paper
I have 76ers at 5th seed in the East
Celtics
Knicks
Bucks
Cavs or Pacers
76ers
George and Embiid injury concern
2025 playoffs
Embiid is 31 years old
Oubre
43%, 31%
Martin
44%, 35%
Low efficiency
Back court defense is not coordinated
Still Need 2 young players with 42% 3-point shooting come off the bench
Morey is a counter a numbers guy. Should have been an accountant.
I got Real numbers for you …… Philly
Paul George — (4yr $212 mill) 33yrs old
2021-22, played 31 gms, 34.7 mins
FG .421%, FT .858%, 3PT .421%
24.3 pts, 5.7 ast, 6.9 reb
2022-23, played 56 gms. 34.6 mins
FG .457%, FT .871%, 3PT .371%
23.8 pts, 5.1 ast, 6.1 reb
2023-24, played 74 gms. 33.8 mins
FG .471%, FT .858%, 3PT .413%
25 pts, 3.5 ast, 5.2 reb
A FA year ….. imagine that ??
DeM DeR — (3yr $74 mill). 34 yrs old
2021-22 , played 76 gms, 36.1 mins
FG .504%, FT .877%, 3PT .352%
28 pts, 4.9 ast, 5.2 reb
2022-23 , played 74 gms, 36.2 mins
FG .504%, FT .872%, 3PT .325%
24.5 pts, 4.6 ast, 5.1 reb
2023-24 , played 79 gms, 37.8 mins
FG .480%, FT .853%, 3PT .333%
24 pts, 5.3 ast, 4.3 reb
I know I’m not a genius. But I can see the value in this. PG is all glitter, all mirrors. Sixers could have signed another talent. To be deeper. By signing the Better player. The iron man of NBA who led in mins played. PG plays on a contract yr. Dem plays ALL the Time.
Please have my chk in the mail……
I don’t even know why I am responding to you because you have been one of the most incompetent posters on here for years, but here we go. Derozan was not a fit for the Sixers AT ALL. Great player, but he doesn’t defend and can’t shoot the 3 ball. He literally operates exactly where Embiid does. Please stop beating this dead horse over and over and worry about how your Knicks will still find a way to choke
Derozan also his horrible on defense , cannot shoot from outside , and doesn’t compliment the 2 existing stars between Maxey + Embiid because he doesn’t space , he clogs the midrange.
While I agree PG is expensive. He’s an elite defender , and volume 3 pt shooter who does a little bit of everything. Which stylistically fits almost perfectly with the existing stars to space the floor for them. Derozan wouldn’t fit well.
76ers need decent fire power from the bench – 3-point shooters.
Knicks need Zach Edey, who’s taller than Shaquille O’Neal and wears size 20 shoes.
What are the Sixers doing at PF next season? It seems talent available and cap space are extremely limited ?
I guess they are signing Reggie Evans for the minimum
Fees creeping into massive American recession in 3,2,1…