Wednesday’s news that the Nets decided they’d rather have the 76ers’ first-round pick in 2023 than Philadelphia’s No. 23 selection in the June 23 NBA Draft should figure prominently into the Sixers’ off-season equation.
Daryl Morey needs to determine if the first-rounder benefits the Sixers most by keeping the pick or trading it, which could depend on the approach the team’s president of basketball operations opts to take.
The simplest plan would be to try to use the selection to either add a player to help fill one of the Sixers’ numerous needs, such as an athletic wing off the bench, or package the pick with a player for a slightly better player in a draft-night trade.
In this first scenario, Morey would only have the $6.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception, a $1.7 million from Andre Drummond’s salary in the Ben Simmons/James Harden trade and minimum salaries with which to upgrade the flawed roster, as well as the first-round pick and trades. He could also trade injured veteran Danny Green and his $10 million non-guaranteed contract, which would become guaranteed July 1, with the pick and perhaps another player for a better player.
To better address the Sixers’ subpar bench and increase the chances of being able to add a decent fifth starter, Morey could be more aggressive and utilize the non-taxpayer MLE of $10.3 million and the $4 million bi-annual exception. Waiving Green to subtract his $10 million from the payroll might be necessary to allow the Sixers to get under the $149 million luxury tax, setting the stage for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
The second scenario would also mean the Sixers could not exceed the $155.7 million luxury tax apron during the 2022-23 season, which doesn’t sound like it’d be too difficult but it could be a bit challenging.
If Harden picks up his $47.4 million player option, the Sixers would have $118.6 million committed to three players next year, counting Tobias Harris’ $37.6 million and Joel Embiid’s $33.6 million. Add the $10.3 million non-taxpayer MLE and $4 million bi-annual exception and the Sixers would be at $132.9 million with five players, so they’d need to fill out the final 10 positions for $22.8 million.
Furkan Korkmaz ($5 million), Matisse Thybulle ($4.4 million), Georges Niang ($3.5 million), Tyrese Maxey ($2.7 million) and Jaden Springer ($2.1 million) also have guaranteed contracts in 2022-23, bringing the total to $150.4 million with five spots to go (two-way players don’t factor into the salary cap and luxury tax numbers).
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The only way to fill out the roster and stay under the luxury tax apron would be to sign four guys on rookie minimums for $953,000 each and bring back one of the four young players on last year’s roster — Shake Milton, Paul Reed, Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey. That would require allowing all but one of non-guaranteed players Milton ($2 million), Reed and Joe ($1.8 million each) and Bassey ($1.6 million) to walk and either trading the pick for a future first-rounder or selecting a foreign player and have him play overseas for at least one season.
To accommodate those four young players’ salaries and the $2.6 million slot of the 23rd pick in the second scenario, Morey could try to lower Harden’s 2022-23 salary by giving him a longer deal if Harden declines the option. A three-year, $105 million contract at $35 million per year would fit the four young guys and the 23rd pick if Morey thinks they can find another Maxey (No. 21 in 2020) late in the first round.
The idea of three more years of Harden, based on his disappointing playoff series against the Heat and his age (he turns 33 in August), wouldn’t be ideal, but it’d result in a 15-man roster with the two exceptions, the returning core guys, Milton, Reed, Joe, Bassey and the pick in the second scenario.
If Morey and Harden cannot agree on a longer contract and Harden picks up the $47.4 million option, trading Korkmaz and the first-rounder to a team under the cap for a future pick should get the Sixers just under the $155.7 million tax apron with the four young guys listed above and a minimum-salary player.
For the Sixers to avoid another disappointing second-round player exit, they’d need to rely on improvement from the current roster and the $10.3 million non-taxpayer MLE and $4 million bi-annual exception. They could also trade, say, Joe or another of the lower-salaried guys for another player making similar money.
As for future drafts, the Nets will also receive Philly’s 2027 first-rounder (top-8 protected), in addition to the 2023 first-round pick from the Simmons/Harden trade. And the 2025 first-round choice (top-6 protected) is headed to the Thunder from the Al Horford deal.
In the meantime, it’ll be interesting to see what Morey does this summer and how that affects the Sixers’ No. 23 selection later this month.
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly
