76ers promise ‘a lot of changes’ around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey

CAMDEN, N.J. — Say goodbye to the Philadelphia 76ers.

No, not Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey is sticking around, too. Nick Nurse looks like an ideal long-term match as coach.

But for the remainder of the Sixers? It’s time to just about want them effectively, with nearly the complete staff — gamers similar to Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry and Nic Batum — ending the season on an expired contract.

Team president Daryl Morey this summer season has about $65 million in wage cap house, a first-round draft decide, a max contract to supply to Maxey and lots of questions to resolve on the best way to lastly, actually construct an NBA championship contender around Embiid.

“We’re not going to have continuity,” Morey mentioned Monday on the 76ers’ headquarters in New Jersey. “We’ll have continuity with our stars and our head coach, but we’re going to have a lot of changes this season.”

The Sixers’ first-round exit against the Knicks made it 41 years since their final NBA championship. The Sixers have not even superior out of the second spherical since 2001. It’s time to start out over — this time with a championship chase, not a Process.

“We’re focused on Joel and Tyrese and we’re focused on now,” Morey mentioned.

The 76ers have cash to spend. But will they purpose excessive for an growing older participant similar to Paul George? What a few wild-card play at LeBron James?

James and George must decline participant choices to hit the market. Nurse received a championship in Toronto with Pascal Siakam and was an assistant coach with the Raptors when DeMar DeRozan was on the staff. Both gamers are free brokers and could possibly be a pleasant slot in Philly.

“You have to factor in the age,” Morey mentioned. “We feel like we’re in the window where we have to win now. We’re mostly focused on getting the best players that fit with Joel and Tyrese.”

Embiid will probably be 30 subsequent season and anticipating the All-Star heart to overlook a major chunk of enjoying time as a result of of accidents is an unlucky ceremony of the season for the Sixers.

Embiid has by no means performed greater than 68 video games in a season and was restricted to 39 in 2023-24 largely as a result of of knee surgical procedure. The 76ers completed 31-8 within the common season with Embiid — a few 65-win tempo — and 16-27 with out him.

“I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so that we were in a better spot to win without him,” Morey mentioned. “That said, we do spend 90 percent of the time figuring out how to win the title with him. It can’t be a big focus, how we play without him. We know that team can’t win a championship. It’s really, how do we manage through it better? I felt like, on me, the depth wasn’t quite there when he was out to win at the level we wanted to win at.”

While the Sixers and their followers would possibly want Embiid would take a summer season off to relaxation, he’s set to play for USA Basketball on the Paris Olympics. The 76ers will not stand in Embiid’s approach.

“It’s a dream of his to represent the United State in the Olympics,” Morey mentioned. “I think it’s important to support the dreams of your best player.”

With the Sixers in win-now mode, a string of stable seasons often has them drafting towards the mid to late first spherical. Maxey in 2020 was the final draft decide who made any sort of impression.

The 76ers are scheduled to choose sixteenth and likewise maintain the forty first total decide within the second spherical. While the draft high quality has been knocked for having little depth, Morey mentioned he is effective with staying at 16.

“We don’t really focus on the draft for help now,” Morey mentioned. “I do really love 16. The storylines have been that the draft is worse. I don’t see that at all. I’m very excited at who’s at 16. That said, as you might expect, we have all options on the table. Trade into the future so we keep more picks available for future trades.”

Maxey’s profession skyrocketed this season along with his first All-Star berth, the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and a season-extending 46-point effort in a Game 5 playoff win in New York.

“We should all learn not to bet against Tyrese,” Morey mentioned.

He is a restricted free agent, that means the 76ers might match any provide prolonged to the personable guard. Maxey is eligible to get a five-year, $205 million contract.

“A year ago, if we had polled everyone in the media or the GMs, it wouldn’t have been unanimous that Tyrese could take that step forward that we hoped he could,” Morey mentioned.

“This offseason is a big one. I owe it to the fans, to ownership, to everybody, to get this team in a place where we’re competing for championships. We obviously didn’t achieve it this year.”