The Philadelphia 76ers had a solid offseason, but some summer additions from their rivals indicate that they could regret not signing these four free agents.
The Philadelphia 76ers are in win-now mode after securing Paul George this past summer. Daryl Morey used most of the cap space the team had available to sign both Tyrese Maxey and George to lucrative deals, while using the rest to bring in several veteran pieces to surround its superstar. However, as the fans are eager to see their favorite team in action after the refurbishment of the roster, there is always the thought that the offseason could have gone even better.
In any case, the 76ers are in need of a few extra backup personnel considering that Joel Embiid and Paul George are labeled as injury-prone players. Tyrese Maxey could be the only one off the superstar trio that you expect him to be available for the better part of the season. So adding players that could be starters in a less star-ridden team should be essential.
Here are four players that signed elsewhere, and they could hurt the Sixers’ chances to win the championship.
4. Gary Trent Jr. would have given the 76ers a clear-cut starting shooting guard
It was a surprise to see Gary Trent Jr. end up with the Milwaukee Bucks during the past offseason. The Raptors were expected to keep the Duke product on their roster as the veteran leader in their rebuilding plan. Even though they decided not to continue with him, the 3-and-D wing was expecting to receive interest and amass a considerable amount in his next contract.
Trent has been a steady contributor to any team he has been part of during his career so far. He stayed with the Raptors for three and a half seasons, while he remained injury-free last year, posting 13.7 points on 43% shooting from the field and 39% shooting from beyond the arc. The veteran wing signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, reuniting with Damian Lillard on the perimeter.
It’s almost certain that Lillard’s presence played a role in his decision, as teams probably did not believe Trent should be offered a lucrative contract. With all the contenders being hard-capped for the most part, it was almost certain that many players would end up receiving less interest.
In any case, the Bucks getting Trent Jr. on a bargain deal is a major blow for the 76ers. The franchise saw a fellow Eastern Conference team getting an upgrade in the wing position without losing any of its crucial pieces. The Sixers had the capacity to offer Gary Trent Jr. a better deal, but they opted to build the roster with cheap veteran players and focused on amplifying different aspects of the roster.
