Getty P.J. Tucker #17 of the Miami Heat reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since getting eliminated from the postseason, Daryl Morey has been hard at work reshaping the Philadelphia 76ers‘ roster around Joel Embiid and James Harden. This began on draft night when he executed a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for De’Anthony Melton. However, Morey did most of his damage at the start of free agency.
During the initial frenzy of signings on June 30th, Morey wasted little time addressing the biggest hole in the Sixers’ roster. With minimal wing players on the roster, he went and signed Danuel House Jr. and P.J. Tucker to multi-year deals.
Tucker, 37, signed for three years, $33 million. With the final year being a player option, the veteran forward is on track to be paid $11.5 million at age 40.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Andy Bailey ranked the seven worst decisions of this NBA offseason. The Sixers investing this much in a veteran in his late-30s came in at the number three spot, right above the LA Lakers being unable to trade Russell Westbrook.
Was this past season an outlier? The Philadelphia 76ers are making a three-year, $33 million bet that it wasn’t.
And though a yearly salary in the range of $11 million isn’t overly cumbersome under the current salary cap, a return to Tucker’s pre-2021-22 form could be a problem for a team that has over $100 million per year heading to Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tobias Harris for at least the next two seasons.
Despite getting up there in age, Tucker has proven to still be a reliable role player. In 71 games for the Miami Heat last season, he averaged 7.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG while shooting 41.5% from beyond the arc.
P.J. Tucker Brings Championship Experience to Sixers
For a team looking to compete for a championship, having experienced veterans is a must. With Danny Green no longer on the roster, the Sixers needed a new face who understood what it takes to win at the highest level. Along with being a perfect complement on the court, P.J. Tucker will also provide a boost in the locker room.
Throughout his career, Tucker has appeared in 91 postseason matchups. He was also a key supporting piece for the Milwaukee Bucks when they won the title back in 2021.
Sixers rising star Tyrese Maxey recently opened up on what Tucker adds to the team on and off the court. Along with toughness, he expects the veteran forward to bring a championship mentality.
I think they’ll definitely help us with mental toughness. I think they’ll also help with just the physical toughness. The grit and the grind that we need to bring to our team and also, I think guys like PJ, he’s gonna bring the championship mentality. I think we’re really gonna appreciate him for that.
Tyrese Maxey Shows Out at Open Run in Philly
After hosting his camp at the team’s training complex, Tyrese Maxey was not done giving back to the Philly community. Along with teammate Isaiah Joe, the 21-year-old made an appearance at the Rumph Classic at La Salle University. The two played alongside LA Clippers forward and Philly native Marcus Morris.
👀 @TyreseMaxey (34p), @zai_joe1 (16p) & @MookMorris2 (29p | MVP) led FOE to the @RumphClassic title Monday night!
As if fans weren’t already excited to see how Maxey will look following his breakout season last year, he made sure to add to the hysteria with his surprise appearance.
is it October yet? 👌