Daryl Morey explains deadline trading, hinting that Sixers aren’t done upgrading yet
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey addresses the media; photo by Austin Krell/TPL
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Regardless of how anyone views the Sixers’ acquisition of winger Jalen McDaniels ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made one thing clear when speaking to reporters on Friday:
The Sixers felt Matisse Thybulle’s offensive limitations were too great for what he could defend. As such, they felt he couldn’t make a meaningful contribution as they went deeper into the playoffs.
“A big theme of our season this year has been preparation for the playoffs and the championship. We wanted to make sure we gave Doc as many two-way players as possible,” said Morey.
“We think Jalen is one of the solid defenders up and coming and gives someone who is a bit easier to keep on the ground in a lot of games.”
Therefore, Philadelphia felt that upgrading Thybulle, sending him to Portland in a four-team trade, was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up when McDaniels came along.
The jury is still out on whether McDaniels can make a meaningful contribution to a playoff rotation. But the Sixers are optimistic he can flourish with a team that is an upgrade for both him and them.
“We have looked at all options for the team. We really think Jalen is kind of a hidden gem, kinda hidden. Sometimes when teams struggle so much there are players who really just need a chance to show what they can do on a better team and we feel like Jalen is such a player,” said Morey.
The Sixers can honestly believe that and the trade may end up being a home run. But they won’t escape accusations from fans that this was a cost-cutting move. Numerous reports suggested that one of Philadelphia’s goals was to get below the luxury tax mark by the trade deadline. The cash flow in this deal saved the Sixers nearly $2.5 million, putting their paycheck more than $1,275 below the tax mark.
Mathematically, they achieved that goal. But that doesn’t mean they’ve taken the deal with that as their focal point.
“The focus was just to make the team better. We feel like we did,” Morey told reporters during Friday’s shooting.
“I think as part of my job I have to look at the bigger picture and we have a lot of guys that we’re going to re-sign. The moves we’ve made have improved the team now and made it easier to bring this team into the future to keep each other.
A team with championship advantage that makes decisions based on dollars sends a message to the public that ownership would rather make its wallet fatter than dedicate itself to winning the title. That’s true in some cases, especially with teams that have limited playoff rankings or aren’t in the postseason picture at all.
But there is a tax problem that extends beyond the current season. Starpoint guard James Harden has a player option for next season. His performance this season suggests he would decline that and find a free agency in search of a bigger payday. The Sixers also have only one more season left before they have to make a decision on burgeoning guard Tyrese Maxey.
Considering the money pledged to Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker and Danuel House next season, it’s going to be harder to keep both Harden and Maxey. Add to that Thybulle getting a new contract this off-season, and keeping all three of them becomes more unrealistic. That’s especially the case for Thybulle, who hasn’t proven himself worth a significant payday on top of his rookie contract.
So dodging the luxury tax is now not just about cutting costs. It is about not limiting the team in making more important decisions in the near future.
As for keeping McDaniels — an upcoming unrestricted free agent — beyond this season, Morey made it clear that the Sixers do not consider him a mercenary. “I think he has starter potential. We obviously want to have another great run to help us win a championship this year and then re-sign him and hopefully continue here. We have his bird rights,” Morey said. I do think he’s someone you can, given his size and athleticism, he’s got everything we need. Someone we can build around in the future.
As for the roster flexibility the Sixers still have, Morey was quite distinctive in suggesting that Philadelphia isn’t done upgrading just yet. “Part of that flexibility we have is allowing us to add multiple buyouts as they come,” the former Houston Rockets manager said. “We are actively looking at that. There is nothing to announce yet, but we are currently actively looking for different players.”
Morey took every opportunity on Friday to relay that the Sixers had the best trade available for them. He even denounced criticism that losing picks in the second round as punishment for tampering with the signing of Tucker and House hurt the Sixers’ trade prospects leading up to the deadline.
“All else being equal, it is better to have more draft picks than fewer. That said, there was no trade that we thought we could do that held that back,” Morey said.
For now, the backup center will be a target for the Sixers in upgrades they are pursuing now that the trade deadline has passed.
“We have a lot of versatility with the lineup, and Doc is doing a really good job figuring it out. I think there are a lot of ways we can do that,” Morey said.
“To be honest, I think most people are concerned about when Joel is free, like, how are we going to play when Joel is free. I think we’re going to improve on that. It hasn’t been as good as we’d like.”
“Hasn’t been as good as we’d like” is an understatement. Fortunately for the Sixers, they still have a chance to improve on that weakness.
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