Philadelphia 76ers: Insider Reveals Why Al Horford Deal Wasn’t Impressive

The Philadelphia 76ers had some decisions to make this offseason.

The biggest one: Do they re-sign Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and JJ Redick.

Well they let two of the three walk and kept Tobias Harris.

For those keeping score at home: Butler now a member of the Miami Heat, was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers last fall. The deal for Butler with the Minnesota Timberwolves shipped Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless and a 2020 second-round pick to the Timberwolves. In exchange, the Sixers received Butler and forward Justin Patton in the deal.

Butler averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and four assists for the City of Brotherly Love during the 2018-2019 season.

He’ll be the star of the show with the Heat this coming season.

JJ Redick is now a veteran in a New Orleans Pelicans system that will compliment Lonzo Ball, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart nicely.

Tobias Harris will look to fill Butler’s role in Philadelphia this season.

“He really enjoys being part of Philadelphia,” esteemed NBA writer, Steve Kyler told the Scoop B Radio Podcast this summer before the NBA free agency craze began.

“He likes that group. He likes playing for Brett Brown.”

Harris told Sirius XM NBA Radio that he was looking for a chance to play within a system with a team looking to make the NBA Playoffs.

This summer the Sixers drafted Matisse Thybulle with the 20th pick in June’s 2019 NBA Draft.

A swingman out of Washington, any basketball pro will tell you that Thybulle was one of the best defenders in college basketball last season.

Thybulle led the NCAA in steals per game (3.5). Thybulle also ranks 16th on the NCAA’s all-time steals list, and he’s the Pac-12’s all-time leader in steals, too.

The Sixers also signed Al Horford this summer. Horford’s surprise departure from Boston made him one of the most sought-after bigs in free agency. The New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks were believed to have interest in Horford who eventually settled in with the Sixers.

For those tardy to the party: The new Sixers big man signed a four-year contract with Philly worth $109 million.

I caught up with Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes on the Scoop B Radio Podcast. We discussed Horford’s role with the Sixers and with Joel Embiid.

Check out a snippet of our Q&A below: 

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Chris, when you look at the Philadelphia 76ers, they added Al Horford. Joel Embiid was crying after he lost to the Raptors because he was upset. What do you think of Al Horford playing next to Joel Embiid? Is Horford a mentor? Do you think it’s a packaged deal?

Chris Haynes: I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of that move. At the NBA Draft, they were holding something the day before the draft, it was something where the NBA makes the players available for media the day before the draft. Whatever that was, I was there. I remember when someone told me that Horford hadn’t signed back in Boston. This dude told me, “Man Chris, I’m gonna tell you this and Horford’s my dude, but that deal came from Philly.” I’m like: ‘that makes no sense, because why would Philly give him up?” Because at the time I think the deal was 4 years and $100 million. And I’m like ‘why would they do that when they had other moves to make?’ I wasn’t a fan of it. I liked the team they had last year better than this year. But I don’t think it won’t work. They need shooters around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid and I think they tried to patch some loose ends in the last year but ultimately I think hat’s going to prove fatal to them further into the season.

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