Daryl Morey says the 76ers will be ‘active’ in the buyout market
Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey spoke with the media today after making just one move at the trade deadline, leaving fans frustrated as we enter the final part of the 2022-23 NBA season.
The Sixers, who currently sit in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, trail the powerhouse Boston Celtics by four games and Giannis and the Bucks by three games. With a record of 34-19, it was highly expected for Morey and the Sixers to make a big splash ahead of the trade deadline.
They didn’t.
Daryl Morey made just one move, trading Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a 3-team deal that landed Jalen Vanderbilt in Philadelphia. McDaniels averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and two assists in 26.7 MPG for Charlotte this season and will now join the Sixers, who are in desperate need of some athleticism on the wing as well as a backup center behind Joel Embiid.
Vanderbilt is an offensive upgrade over Thybulle, but as mentioned, the main issue on this 76ers team is the backup center position. Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed still remain as the backup big men, who both have been underperforming in their time on the court.
Although the Sixers did not prioritize the center position at the deadline, they’re still going to have options. The buyout market is filled with guys that can still give 8-12 valuable minutes per night, including Nerlens Noel, Serge Ibaka, and more. Daryl Morey spoke to the media today and confirmed that the team will be active in the buyout market.
“The focus was just making the team better. We feel like we did that. I feel that, as part of my job, I have to look at the bigger picture, and we have a lot of guys we’re gonna re-sign. The moves we did both improve the team now and make it easier to keep this team together going forward. Some of that flexibility that we got allows us to add multiple buyouts if they come. We’re actively looking at that, and nothing to announce yet, but we’re actively looking at several players right now.”-Daryl Morey
The buyout market is never the flashiest of options, but that’s not what the team needs. Montrezl Harrell has been almost unplayable, especially on defense, and Paul Reed still lacks experience and discipline when it comes to defense.
Potential Buyout Options
Noel and Ibaka are both expected to get bought out, along with potential guard pickups like Patrick Beverly, Will Barton, and Reggie Jackson. Patrick Beverly is a name that Daryl Morey should keep his eye on. Although his play isn’t necessarily elite, he’ll bring an attitude to this team that is most certainly needed.
