The Philadelphia 76ers made a lot of moves during the offseason. In free agency, they signed both Dean Wade and LeBron James. Both of them fill needs at the wing position, although James will likely start at power forward.
Philadelphia also made the decision to trade for Jaylen Brown, as well. Brown was moved from Boston despite coming off the best season of his career. Now, he will become one of the top options for the Sixers next year, even if he’s not the top option.
One writer believes that the 76ers have had the best offseason of any team in the NBA.
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers forward Jaylen Brown talks to the media.(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
76ers Given Best Possible Offseason Grade
According to David Aldridge of The Athletic, no one had a better offseason than the 76ers. He believes that all of their moves have them in a position to compete for a title next season.
“I think the Executive of the Year race is a wrap. Just two months into his Philly tenure, Gansey bagged both James and Brown, fundamentally transforming the franchise,” Aldridge wrote.
Aldridge also believes that the risk of bringing in Brown, with his massive contract, is well worth it. There is also no risk at all in bringing James to Philly at the price point that they did.
“Bringing in Brown’s massive two-way energy for a couple of years before deciding if he’s worth another $140 million on an extension is worth the risk. James’ résumé speaks for itself,” Aldridge writes.
Signing Anfernee Simons was also an underrated move that gives Philly another shooter off the bench. Adding someone who can get hot in a hurry and can create his own shot is very valuable. Simons signed a one-year deal worth just $6 million, which helped them have enough room to bring in James.
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers forward Jaylen Brown poses for a photo while being introduced. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Will Have Massive Expectations Next Season
Adding all of these players means that the Sixers have enormous expectations heading into next year. They are now considered one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. However, winning the East has become much harder after this offseason, with several other teams getting better.
Indiana, Miami, and Washington all got better. Detroit, Cleveland, and the Knicks are all still very good teams, despite not doing much in free agency. Beating all of those teams won’t be easy, even though they have the new pieces that they have.
Last season, the 76ers had the 16th-best offense in the league, which was not good enough. Joel Embiid’s poor health was a big reason for that, as they only got him for 38 games during the regular season. Keeping him healthy for the postseason is something they have to do in order to win a title.
Brown is one of the most durable players in the NBA, which is why they decided to bring him in. That durability should help them have a better offense all year long.
76ers Receive Highest Grade for Offseason Moves