Getty President of basketball operations Daryl Morey responds during a press conference at the Seventy Sixers Practice Facility on February 15, 2022 in Camden, New Jersey.
Daryl Morey believes the Philadelphia 76ers already have the roster they need to win an NBA title, but that isn’t stopping the team’s president of basketball operations from shopping around at the trade deadline.
Speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer just days before the February 9 trade deadline, Morey revealed that he planned to be active in conversations with other teams. While the Sixers made the biggest splash at last year’s trade deadline, shipping Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that landed James Harden, the team is expected to take a more conservative approach this year and potentially focus on cost-cutting.
Daryl Morey: ‘More Tools to Win the Championship’
Morey told the Inquirer that he feels a responsibility to fans to build the best roster possible, but said other teams aren’t always willing to make big moves — especially with a contending team.
“We can go in with the goals of trying to give Doc [Rivers] more tools to win the championship, but it doesn’t always work out,” Morey said. “It will either happen or it won’t. But it won’t be for lack of effort. We’re going to turn over every rock and try to help the team.”
Morey said the front office has been laying the groundwork for potential deals, reaching out to other teams to get a feel for their needs and what they want to accomplish and finding opportunities that might work for both parties.
The Sixers boss added that the right opportunity may not come along, hinting that they might choose to hold pat at next week’s NBA trade deadline.
Andre Drummond makes a lot of sense as a trade target for the #Sixers
“When we’re looking to improve the team, it’s frankly not easy to find upgrades who are better than our 11th guy,” he said. “We think the players are pretty good. Obviously, if no move happens, we’re going to feel like we have a very good chance to win the title.”
But Morey added that he feels a responsibility to the team’s veterans that can cement a title-contending team, saying they can “hopefully give Doc some more weapons when he’s fighting in a Game 7 in a few months.”
Deal Could Be in the Works With Sacramento Kings
There is some interest around the Sixers ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that several teams are interested in Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle, including the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks.
“Sources say that Atlanta has joined Sacramento as a confirmed suitor for Philadelphia’s Matisse Thybulle. I don’t know that the Hawks will be the ultimate landing spot, but I’ve been advised that the prospect of Thybulle getting traded before Thursday’s buzzer is very real,” Stein said.
Morey had previously dropped a hint that he could be working on a trade with the surprising Pacific Division team. Back in January, he took to Twitter to share that he had met with Sacramento’s president of basketball operations.
“Just met with @mmcnair because flying to a team’s city is of course how it is done,” Morey wrote, sharing an image from the movie “Moneyball.”
Just met with @mmcnair because flying to a team’s city is of course how it is done
The Sixers and Kings have been regular trade partners, making seven deals together. Their most recent trade came in 2015.