Sixers Rumors: Front Office, Morey, Embiid, George, More
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey still had two “expensive” years left on his contract, but that didn’t dissuade the team’s ownership group from deciding that a front office change was necessary, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
After formally confirming on Tuesday that they’ve parted ways with Morey, the 76ers have tasked Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president of sports Bob Myers with temporarily running the front office and leading the search for a new lead basketball executive. However, according to Fischer, the plan is for Myers to return to an advisory role once a hire is made.
Myers will consider candidates within the organization in addition to external options, Fischer writes. While it’s too early to identify potential frontrunners, Fischer says Andre Iguodala, the current NBPA executive director who played under Myers in Golden State and also spent several years playing in Philadelphia, isn’t expected to receive consideration for the job, even though his stint with the players’ union is scheduled to end next month.
Here’s more from Fischer on the Sixers:
- Although fans in Philadelphia weren’t happy about the mid-season trade that sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for draft assets, including a 2026 first-rounder, a source with knowledge of the situation told Fischer that deal wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey. Ownership “very much approved” that deal, Fischer writes, which makes sense, given that it helped the 76ers move out of luxury tax territory. The club is also optimistic about its ability to select a quality prospect next month with the No. 22 overall pick acquired in that trade, Fischer adds.
- There’s a widespread belief that the Sixers would be best off resetting their roster around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, but that will be easier said than done in the short term, Fischer notes. The three years and $188MM left on Joel Embiid‘s contract will make it very challenging to move him without attaching sweeteners, which likely won’t appeal to Philadelphia, meaning an Embiid trade is unlikely to happen this offseason. According to Fischer, one idea mentioned by rival strategists is a swap involving Embiid and Kings center Domantas Sabonis, but he acknowledges that calling that scenario a “long shot” might be understating it.
- As tricky as Embiid would be to move, the same may no longer be true of Paul George, who rehabilitated his value to some extent with a strong finish to the season, including a playoff run in which he shot 49.3% from three-point range. George also has just one guaranteed year remaining on his maximum-salary contract, with a player option to follow, so if he conveys a willingness to decline that option in favor of an extension that starts at a lower number, that could make potential suitors more comfortable rolling the dice on him. Fischer likens George’s contract situation – and trade value – to Trae Young‘s entering last season. The Hawks didn’t acquire any draft picks for Young but they didn’t have to send out any either, and they were able to acquire two relatively team-friendly contracts in their deal with Washington.
- Even though Nurse will remain in his position as head coach, there’s an expectation that his staff will undergo some offseason changes, according to Fischer, who observes that a number of Sixers assistants are on expiring contracts.
Morey Ousted As Sixers’ President; Nurse Keeps Coaching Job
Daryl Morey has been relieved of duties as president of basketball operations with the Sixers after six seasons, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
The decision was made after Morey met with Sixers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, according to Charania, who says that head coach Nick Nurse will be retained for a fourth season.
Former Warriors executive Bob Myers, now the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will lead the search for the new head of basketball operations. Myers will oversee the franchise’s basketball operations department in the interim.
The Athletic had reported on Monday that Morey and/or Nurse could be on their way out.
Harris issued the following statement via a press release:
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Daryl personally and professionally, and I’m grateful for his contributions over the last six seasons. After speaking with Daryl, we determined that it was time for a fresh start. Bob Myers will lead the process of identifying a new leader and I believe his experience in constructing four NBA championship teams will be a valuable resource to our organization. To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted. We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”
Morey was hired to bring the franchise a championship for the first time since 1983. Philadelphia reached the postseason in all but one of his six seasons on the job, but fell well short of the ultimate goal. The Sixers did not advance beyond the second round of the playoffs during Morey’s tenure.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying. He acquired James Harden during the 2021/22 season but Harden demanded a trade after the following season over a contract dispute. Morey opened up significant cap space prior to the 2024/25 season and signed Paul George to a max deal, along with several other notable free agents.
Injuries derailed Morey’s plans. George, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid have played only 43 games together over the last two seasons, including the regular season and playoffs. That trio is owed $153MM next season.
After the Sixers were swept in the second round by the Knicks, Embiid remarked, “… Gotta get better, from top to bottom. Ownership, front office, players, coaches. Everybody just gotta get better.”
It will be up to the next team president to put together a championship-caliber roster. Morey’s replacement will have two major building blocks in Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third for the Rookie of the Year award.
Nurse is 116-130 in three seasons as the Sixers’ head coach, with 47- and 45-win seasons sandwiching a forgettable 24-58 campaign. Nurse guided the team to a first-round comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Celtics, but the 76ers were overmatched against the Knicks, who swept them out of the postseason.
2026 NBA Draft Picks By Team
The Bulls, who pivoted to rebuilding mode after being eliminated in the play-in tournament in three straight years from 2023-25, and the Spurs, who went from 34 wins a year ago to 62 this season, appear headed in opposite directions. But the two organizations do have one thing in common — they’re the only two teams in the NBA who control more than three picks in this year’s draft.
Chicago, which moved up to No. 4 as a result of Sunday’s draft lottery, also controls the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks. San Antonio has just one first-rounder at No. 20, but its other three picks – Nos. 35, 42, and 44 – are in the top half of the second round.
Besides the Spurs and Bulls, nine other teams own more than the typical two picks, and several of those clubs have at least one top-10 selection. The Wizards, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets, Kings, Hawks, and Mavericks each have three selections, including one in the top nine. The Thunder and Knicks are the other two clubs who control three 2026 picks.
Those 11 teams own a combined 35 picks in June’s draft, while eight others control two apiece and nine more have one each. That means there are just two teams without a pick this year: the Pacers and Trail Blazers. Both teams had protected first-rounders, but Portland sacrificed its lottery-protected pick when it earned a playoff spot, while Indiana had a worst possible outcome in the lottery, as its top-four protected pick fell to No. 5.
To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2026 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…
Teams with more than two picks:
- Chicago Bulls (4): 4, 15, 38, 56
- San Antonio Spurs (4): 20, 35, 42, 44
- Washington Wizards (3): 1, 51, 60
- Memphis Grizzlies (3): 3, 16, 32
- Los Angeles Clippers (3): 5, 36, 52
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 6, 33, 43
- Sacramento Kings (3): 7, 34, 45
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 8, 23, 57
- Dallas Mavericks (3): 9, 30, 48
- Oklahoma City Thunder (3): 12, 17, 37
- New York Knicks (3): 24, 31, 55
Teams with two picks:
- Golden State Warriors: 11, 54
- Miami Heat: 13, 41
- Charlotte Hornets: 14, 18
- Toronto Raptors: 19, 50
- Denver Nuggets: 26, 49
- Boston Celtics: 27, 40
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 28, 59
- Houston Rockets: 39, 53
Teams with one pick:
- Utah Jazz: 2
- Milwaukee Bucks: 10
- Detroit Pistons: 21
- Philadelphia 76ers: 22
- Los Angeles Lakers: 25
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 29
- Orlando Magic: 46
- Phoenix Suns: 47
- New Orleans Pelicans: 58
Teams with no picks:
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
Sixers Notes: Edgecombe, Maxey, Offseason
The Sixers‘ season ended in disappointing fashion on Sunday, as the team was thoroughly outplayed — and swept — by New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. If there’s a reason to believe in the 76ers’ future, it’s largely due to the impressive play of rookie VJ Edgecombe, writes Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.
“Playing against the Celtics to now against New York, it was tricky. I was guarded differently,” Edgecombe said on Sunday. “I’m gonna take some time, look back at it after a couple of weeks or so.
“I refuse for, coming into next year, a team won’t ever leave me open. Even during the regular season, I was shooting the ball pretty well, and the playoffs come, and it’s just a different vibe, you know? Intensity’s higher, closeouts are a lot quicker, but I’m going to go in, and I’m gonna work. I’m gonna work. I’m gonna work. I’m going to do whatever I got to do to get better, make life easier for [Tyrese Maxey] and the rest of my teammates, take some of the pressure off some of the load offensively off of them.”
In addition to offensive improvements, the 6’4″ guard hopes to continue honing his craft on the defensive end as well, per Neubeck.
“Defensively, I’m gonna keep getting better, keep learning. For the rest of my career, I want to go out and say I can go guard whoever I have to go guard,” Edgecombe said. “I’m just excited to see how this offseason is gonna look for me, and next year I’m coming back better, stronger, faster, more athletic, whatever I gotta do.”
Here’s more from Philadelphia:
- Maxey had an excellent season for the Sixers and will almost certainly earn his first All-NBA berth in 2025/26, but he struggled with double-teams and traps in the second-round matchup vs. the Knicks, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Maxey is hoping he’ll be able to play off the ball more often in 2026/27 as Edgecombe works on initiating the offense. “When you’re in front of the defense all the time,” Maxey said. “ … it gives [the opponent] opportunities that have the entire team kind of load up. And I feel like that’s one thing that really good players and great players can do. They can be on the ball [and] make plays on the ball, but they can also play off the ball and contribute that way, use their gravity that way.”
- Although The Athletic reported on Monday that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse could be dismissed, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice doesn’t expect that to happen after the 3-1 first-round comeback against Boston. Still, he acknowledges the possibility can’t be ruled out after the 76ers were swept in the second round. Aaronson also provides an overview of the team’s offseason, noting that Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond are the 76ers’ primary free agents.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Sixers’ offseason, writing that they’ll likely be over the first tax apron if they re-sign Grimes and Oubre. Gauging the trade market for Joel Embiid and Paul George to build around Maxey and Edgecombe would be an ideal outcome for Philadelphia, but Marks views that scenario as unlikely given how much money those two aging stars are owed.
Daryl Morey, Nick Nurse May Be Replaced After Sweep
The thrill of beating Boston in the first round was short-lived for the Sixers, and major changes could be coming for the franchise this offseason. Multiple sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic that the jobs of president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse will both be reevaluated. Jones adds that ownership hasn’t reached any final decisions and will take a few days to address the state of the franchise before determining whether to make changes.
“Uncomfortable conversations” are necessary on several fronts, according to Jones, and the most important one is how to handle Joel Embiid. Jones notes that Embiid frequently clashed with the front office and coaching staff throughout the season, and he publicly implored management to do something other than “ducking the luxury tax” leading up to the trade deadline.
Jones reports that Embiid and other players didn’t support the decision to send second-year guard Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in a deal that only netted draft picks in return. Jones states that Embiid made a noticeable effort to avoid directly criticizing the front office in interviews after that trade was announced.
After being held out of an April 1 game at Washington, Embiid responded with an angry Twitter post stating, “I guess they won’t let me play basketball!!” When reporters asked about the post two days later, he responded, “I wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball. I think this is more of a question for Daryl Morey and whoever makes the decisions.”
The Sixers have to be encouraged by Embiid’s playoff performance, even though he was only available for 38 games during the regular season. He managed to return from an emergency appendectomy and was an offensive force in the first-round comeback against Boston.
Embiid’s injury history and contract situation – he has two guaranteed years left at nearly $58MM and $62.6MM, plus a $67.2MM player option for 2028/29 – make it extremely difficult for Philadelphia to trade him. But Jones emphasizes that he has to be more in sync with the front office and coaching staff to be fully effective.
Jones cites a mixed case for keeping Morey in charge of the franchise. Although he was heavily criticized for parting with McCain, Morey realized that he would never become a starter with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in the backcourt, and getting a first-round pick for a projected reserve is good value. Morey also deserves credit for taking Edgecombe with the third pick in last year’s draft and Maxey at No. 21 in 2020. Dominick Barlow, who was brought in on a two-way contract last summer, turned out to be an important addition.
But Morey is also responsible for giving the huge extension to Embiid and a pricey free agent deal to Paul George that will limit the Sixers’ flexibility for nearly the rest of the decade. Jones points out that having them alongside Maxey and Edgecombe creates two versions of the same team that don’t fit together well.
Regarding Nurse, sources tell Jones that there are concerns about his ability to control the locker room. He cites an incident at an April 1 shootaround where several players met with members of the coaching staff to air complaints about “certain players’ participation in team activities” and the overall direction of the season. The level of tension was so high that there were concerns that the shootaround might have to be canceled, according to Jones’ sources, but enough was resolved that it was able to continue.
Jones believes that Nurse deserves credit for winning 45 games with an injured roster, and his players never stopped playing hard. They responded to Nurse’s public criticism after a Game 4 loss to Boston and rallied to win the series.
After the fate of Morey and Nurse is decided, the Sixers will have to address their roster. Jones identifies a need for more shooting, rebounding and positional size among the forwards. They have a talented core in place and Edgecombe should continue to improve as he gets older, but the New York sweep is an indication that they’re not ready to compete with the best teams in the East.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, Oubre, Maxey
The Sixers were swept by the Knicks on Sunday, losing their Eastern Conference semifinal series 4-0 after completing a 3-1 comeback against Boston in the first round. Philadelphia was overmatched in Game 4 and wound up losing by 30 points.
“At times, it’s okay to just say the other team was better,” star center Joel Embiid said, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). “… Gotta get better, from top to bottom. Ownership, front office, players, coaches. Everybody just gotta get better.”
Despite the dispiriting manner in which they lost, Embiid viewed the season as a success because of the way he and the team were able to manage his left knee, which has undergone multiple surgeries.
“We came into the season thinking there was not much left…I thought I was done,” Embiid said (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).
The 32-year-old continues to express confidence in his knee, which caused him to miss extended time in recent seasons, tweets Bodner.
“I’m as confident as I’ve ever been [with the knee],” Embiid said. “Obviously, that was the biggest concern. I’m not thinking about it, and as long as we keep doing what we’re doing, I won’t have to think about it anymore.“
Here’s more from Philadelphia:
- Embiid said he had complications after his emergency appendectomy, which caused him to miss three games at the end of the regular season and the first three games of the playoffs, as Bodner relays (via Twitter). “The things that I’ve been dealing with, they’ve all been related to the surgery,” Embiid said. “Coming back early, the core was weak, everything was affected. So you’re looking at the hip, the adductor, everything is out of place. Jumping right to playoff basketball, that was tough. But I felt I still played as hard as I could.”
- When asked if he thought about his legacy, the former MVP replied, “I want to win more than anyone. It sucks to lose. I haven’t won anything, so that hurts. But to go home and raise [his son], raise my daughter, look at my wife in the eyes and understand I’m a good man…Really, that’s all that matters” (Twitter link via Bodner)
- Both head coach Nick Nurse and Embiid were complimentary of standout rookie VJ Edgecombe, who was selected third overall in last year’s draft, according to Bodner and Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter links). “That was a hell of an impressive rookie season. He’s a hell of a player,” Nurse said. “It’s not about shooting, scoring, jumping, all that stuff. He really knows how to play. He really has a leadership quality to him. He’s a big-time winner.” Embiid said Edgecombe “has a chance to be extremely special” and hopes to help his teammate continue to develop.
- Veteran forward Kelly Oubre Jr. discussed his impending free agency after Sunday’s loss, saying he loves Philadelphia (Twitter links via Bodner). “I’ve averaged 20 points in this league and still find myself barely getting any contracts…I hope I did myself a good service by being more efficient, slowing down, and playing better overall basketball,” said, Oubre, who added he wanted to be “somewhere where I’m loved. Somewhere where my family can be comfortable…I just want my kids to have somewhere they can call home.”
- Star guard Tyrese Maxey was not happy about Knicks fans taking over the Sixers’ home arena, tweets Bodner. “It absolutely sucks. It just sucks,” Maxey said. “That’s really all I can say about it, man…There’s only one way to put a stop to it: we have to go out there and win these games. It felt louder here for them than it did in the Garden.”
Knicks’ OG Anunoby Out For Sunday’s Game 4
Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss his second straight game on Sunday due to a right hamstring strain, head coach Mike Brown told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
The Knicks currently hold a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup vs. the 76ers. Game 4 will be played in Philadelphia.
Anunoby, who was in the midst of a remarkable playoff run, sustained the injury on Wednesday in the Game 2 victory against the Sixers. The 28-year-old was originally listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest before being downgraded to out.
Miles McBride and Landry Shamet took the majority of the minutes that would have gone to Anunoby in Game 3. McBride, who got the start, played 21 minutes and had three points on (1-of-6 shooting), two assists and two blocks. Shamet was 5-of-6 from the field, scoring 15 points and grabbing three boards in 26 minutes.
Anunoby has been referred to as day-to-day since he strained his hamstring on Wednesday. The strain is considered mild, but obviously the Knicks need to exercise caution with the soft-tissue injury, which could be easily aggravated if it’s not fully healed.
Anunoby has been outstanding in his eight playoff appearances this spring, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in 35.3 minutes per contest, with a scorching hot shooting line of .619/.538/.811.
Knicks Notes: Clarkson, Shamet, Anunoby, Bridges
Jordan Clarkson signed with the Knicks last summer to play for a contender, but he had fallen completely out of the rotation by the trade deadline, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. It would have been understandable if he had asked to be dealt or bought out, but Clarkson said he didn’t consider either option.
“Never,” he stated. “I was just going with the flow, staying locked in. I don’t really think too far ahead. Whatever is in the moment is what’s going on. I got out the mud, bro. I was a second-round pick, damn near undrafted. I just stick with the grind and stick with the process, try to find ways to impact the game. I only care about winning. I came here for the opportunity to play winning basketball.”
Clarkson’s rejuvenation began during a game at Utah in mid-March when he scored 27 points in 26 minutes to spark a comeback victory. He also pulled down five offensive rebounds and played tight defense, exhibiting traits that have made him a valuable member of the Knicks’ bench as they’ve moved within a win of the conference finals.
New York’s reserves made the difference in Friday’s Game 3 win at Philadelphia as Clarkson combined with Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Jose Alvarado to score 28 points and collect 14 rebounds. Coach Mike Brown is gratified to see that his “stay-ready” approach to handing out playing time is working.
“As a coach, you love to see it,” Brown said. “That’s why you give different guys opportunities at different times. Sometimes you start Landry, sometimes you start (Mohamed Diawara), sometimes you start this guy. Hopefully, it shows, coming from me, that I have a confidence in them. And, not only that, your number can be called at any time, so be ready. Our guys have taken that to heart. A lot of good guys who are resilient fighters and done a good job of staying present.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Shamet scored 15 points off the bench, topping his total from the previous six playoff games, notes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. With OG Anunoby unavailable on Friday, Shamet played more than 26 minutes and was part of New York’s closing lineup. “You just stay ready,” he said. “It felt good, it felt good to get out there with my teammates, it felt good to get a win. We have one more.”
- Anunoby is listed as questionable for Sunday’s Game 4 as he tries to work his way back from a strained right hamstring, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Miles McBride replaced him in the starting lineup, but only played 21 minutes.
- Mikal Bridges‘ defensive effort against Tyrese Maxey has been a huge reason for the Knicks’ 3-0 series lead, Begley adds in a full story. The high-scoring Sixers guard is averaging 18.6 PPG during the series – nearly 10 fewer than his season average – while shooting 2-of-12 from three-point range and committing 12 turnovers. “He’s doing an amazing job. That’s a tough task, a tall order,” Josh Hart said. “The way he is able to maneuver and navigate screens, do all those things, and on top of that, give us good shots, good minutes and a good quality of executing on the offensive end is great.”
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Bench, 3-0 Deficit, Maxey
Joel Embiid sat out Game 2 of the Sixers‘ series against the Knicks due to ankle and hip injuries. He returned for Game 3 but only contributed 16 points and six rebounds in 34 minutes as Philadelphia fell behind 3-0 in the series with a 108-94 loss.
“I thought he gave us everything he could,” head coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I really do. I think he tried to give us everything he could tonight, and that’s all he can do.”
The Knicks also went right at Embiid on defense, taking advantage of his limited mobility.
“I’m OK,” Embiid said. “Obviously, a tough loss tonight.”
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Their bench failed them in Game 3, according to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who notes that the reserves didn’t produce a single point in the first three quarters Friday’s contest. They were eventually outscored 29-11 by the Knicks’ reserves. “We definitely need a push. Someone [to] come in and give us that extra little [oomph],” Paul George said. “That’s what it’s going to take, especially in the playoffs. You need everybody. You need role guys to step up and bench guys to step up. We’ve got the guys that can do it. I’m positive that we’ll make a turnaround for Game 4.”
- The Sixers rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Boston in the opening round. They’ll have to summon up even more magic to pull off a comeback in this series. “We’re in a situation where we have to go out there and get the next one and see what happens,” Nurse said, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. “If you get one, it gets to 3-1, and then a series can turn pretty quickly. But we’re going to have to dig in and do some things better. We started out tonight playing great. But we had a bad stretch of defensive rebounding, and we gave up direct line drives. We just didn’t score enough. We didn’t keep the scoreboard moving.” Kelly Oubre Jr. notes they’ll have to improve in several areas to pull it off. “I think we have to stay swaggy,” he said. “This team has told a tale of resilience. Whenever we’ve had our backs against the wall, we’ve fought hard. We are the ones who dug ourselves this hole. We’re the only ones who can dig ourselves out of this hole. But we have to clean up a lot of mistakes. We have to go and look at the film and see where they are burning us.”
- The team’s three max players — Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George — carried them to the second round but haven’t been up to the task to get them out of the conference semis, Adam Aaranson of PhillyVoice.com writes. Maxey had a dazzling series against Boston in which he busted every coverage and took care of the ball, Aaronson points out, but he’s been neutralized by New York’s length while committing careless turnovers. He also looks exhausted after logging 41.0 minutes per game in the first round, having been held to 18.7 PPG and 5.0 APG in three games by New York. Maxey has committed four turnovers per game while knocking down just two total three-pointers.
OG Anunoby Ruled Out For Game 3; Joel Embiid Will Play
The Knicks have ruled out starting forward OG Anunoby ahead of Friday’s Game 3 matchup in Philadelphia, head coach Mike Brown told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
For the Sixers, Joel Embiid has been upgraded from questionable to available, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter links).
Head coach Nick Nurse gave a promising update on Embiid earlier on Friday when he suggested the former league MVP would attempt to suit up, Neubeck notes.
“He’s getting better all the time, he was a participant in (Friday’s) shootaround,” Nurse said of Embiid, who missed Game 2 due to ankle and hip injuries.
Anunoby was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain on Thursday after suffering the injury in Wednesday’s Game 2 victory. With the Knicks up 2-0, there was no urgency to rush Anunoby back, but multiple reports indicated the strain wasn’t serious and Brown repeatedly referred to him as day-to-day on Friday, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
Anunoby has been outstanding in eight playoff games, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in 35.3 minutes per contest, with a scorching hot shooting line of .619/.538/.811. The 28-year-old traveled with the Knicks to Philadelphia, Bondy notes (via Twitter).
Miles McBride will take Anunoby’s place in the starting lineup, per the team (Twitter link via Bondy).
Josh Hart, who sprained his thumb in Game 2 and was originally listed as questionable Friday before being updated to probable, will suit up again tonight, Brown confirmed (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). Hart is among a handful of Knicks who could receive more shots and minutes with Anunoby out.
According to Bondy (Twitter link), Hart said he underwent an X-ray on his injured left thumb, which came back negative.