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  • Sixers Ties: Northwest Division

    Sixers Ties: Northwest Division

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    Let’s continue our Sixers Ties series — evaluating all connections to the team across the NBA — by heading to the Western Conference’s Northwest Division that features a few noteworthy former Sixers players and some other folks who are in some way linked to the team: 

    Sixers Ties

    Atlantic Division | Central Division | Southeast Division

    Portland Trail Blazers

    The player on Portland’s roster who is still remembered as a Sixer is Matisse Thybulle, who the team traded up for during the 2019 NBA Draft and watched blossom into one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA right off the bat. Thybulle’s inability to develop any sort of offensive utility after more than three years finally led the Sixers to move on, and they traded him to the Blazers in a three-team trade that netted them Jaden McDaniels — who also failed to become a reliable contributor. Thybulle became a restricted free agent the next summer, and signed a three-year offer sheet with a player option in the final season worth a hair over $33 million with the Dallas Mavericks. Portland opted to match the deal.

    But the Blazers also have a far more successful former Sixer on their roster. Who would have thought that when the Sixers drafted an athletic, toolsy wing with limited offensive skill with the No. 39 overall pick in 2014, Jerami Grant would become a 20-point-per-game scorer who, at the end of his current contract will have made over $242 million in career earnings?

    Grant’s offensive development has truly been astounding. When he was able to develop into a competent player on that end of the floor who could hang his hat on defense, it seemed like he had hit his 100th percentile outcome. And then a stunning leap as a scorer came, and now here we are: over the last four seasons, Grant has averaged 20.8 points per game on 57.4 true shooting.

    Trading Grant in 2016 for Ersan Ilyasova and a future first-round pick is not exactly something the Sixers will regret, though, as that draft pick turned into a player you might have heard of.

    Denver Nuggets

    It was a difficult offseason for the Nuggets, who watched starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope depart in free agency without the ability to replace him externally. First-round pick DaRon Holmes II tore his Achilles. And because they have already made so many large financial commitments, they had very little spending power. Outside of veteran’s minimum contracts, the Nuggets could sign a free agent to the taxpayer’s mid-level exception — worth a maximum of two years at just under $10.6 million.

    With that money, the Nuggets signed a new backup center: old friend Ďario Sarić, who has a second-year player option. Sarić joined the Golden State Warriors last season, opening the year as their backup center but eventually falling out of the rotation in favor of promising rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis. Sarić is a similar archetype of center to Nikola Jokić in that he is a passing-oriented big man, so perhaps the Nuggets were looking to create some stylistic continuity across their units. But considering this was their only way to spend above the minimum, it is hard to imagine that signing a declining version of Sarić was their most prudent path.

    A note: the Nuggets were in nearly the exact same position last summer, and used the tax MLE on a player who many were similarly skeptical about being worth the money. A year later, the team had to trade three second-round picks to shed the second year of their contract when the player option they put in the deal was executed. Weeks later, the player was bought out by the team that took on his money and became a free agent again. And that is how Reggie Jackson became a member of the Sixers.

    Behind Jokić and Sarić in Denver’s center rotation is former Sixer DeAndre Jordan, who for the third consecutive season will play for the minimum with the Nuggets. Jordan has been lauded for his locker room presence during his career, and that praise has never been louder than during his time in Denver.

    Oklahoma City Thunder

    Coming off a remarkable rise to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference in 2023-24, the Thunder made significant improvements this offseason as they look to become perennial championship contenders. Their first move was to trade weak link Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso, an all-world defender and much-improved three-point shooter. The one-for-one swap shocked many, and it will make the Thunder considerably better on both ends of the floor. Before breaking out as a legitimate NBA player with the Los Angeles Lakers, the undrafted Caruso played for the 2016 Summer League Sixers.

    The Sixers selected Arkansas sharpshooter Isaiah Joe with the No. 49 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but ultimately decided they did not have enough time to observe his developmental process. They waived him after two seasons, but he quickly landed on his feet with the Thunder and almost immediately became the exact player the Sixers had hoped: an accurate three-point shooter on massive volume who can change the complexion of an offense with his presence alone. Joe was rewarded with a four-year, $48 million deal to remain in Oklahoma City this offseason, a worthy reward for a good player.

    When the Sixers used some leftover cap space to absorb Wilson Chandler’s expiring contract from the Nuggets in 2018, they received two second-round picks for their trouble — one of them being a 2021 second-rounder. That pick ended up being rerouted a year and a half later, when the Sixers sent it to the Golden State Warriors as part of the package that netted them both Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III.

    The following offseason, Golden State sent the pick and another future second-rounder to Oklahoma City. And with the No. 55 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder selected Aaron Wiggins, an impressive young player who earned a five-year, $45 million deal this offseason as he enters his fourth NBA season. Wiggins is a quality rotation wing who, along with Joe, have helped the Thunder become one of the single deepest teams in the NBA.

    By the way, when Golden State traded those two second-rounders to Oklahoma City, one became Wiggins, and the other became Miles “Deuce” McBride, who has emerged as an excellent young player for the New York Knicks. Those two second-rounders were traded for… Kelly Oubre Jr. It’s a small world!

    The Sixers and Thunder will be keeping eyes on each other for the next couple of years. The Thunder own the Sixers’ 2025 first-round pick (as long as it does not somehow fall in the top eight), and there is a good chance the Sixers will end up with Oklahoma City’s first-rounder in 2026. The Sixers will receive the least favorable first-round pick out of Oklahoma City’s, that of the Los Angeles Clippers and that of the Houston Rockets in two years from now. It is a strong bet that the Thunder will be the best of those teams.

    Minnesota Timberwolves

    The Timberwolves do not currently have any players with connections to the Sixers on their roster, but Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has a long history with Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. 

    Nurse and Finch have been coaching with and against each other for nearly three decades. They have had rivalries and been each other’s assistants over many years, and have both spoken extensively about their friendship.

    Most recently, Finch was an assistant coach for Nurse with the Toronto Raptors before he got his first NBA head coaching job in Minnesota.

    Utah Jazz

    Signing a nine-time All-Star in Paul George is the most significant addition the Sixers made this offseason, but he is not the only starting-caliber they signed in free agency: the team waited out Caleb Martin and signed him a four-year deal worth just over $35 million that is considered well-below his true market value.

    Adding Martin, though, would not have been possible if the Sixers could not create nearly $8 million in cap space at the drop of a hat. That is exactly what they did when they waived Paul Reed, who was claimed by the Detroit Pistons.

    When teams sign restricted free agents to offer sheets, they get creative in how they structure the deals as they try to dissuade the player’s incumbent organization from matching the offer. So, last offseason, the Jazz pursued Reed and secured an agreement on an unconventional three-year deal with an atypical incentive-based structure: if whatever team Reed played for advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs, all three years of the contract would be guaranteed; if it did not, the second and third seasons of the deal would be non-guaranteed until mid-January of each season. 

    The Sixers were largely expected to at least win one playoff series and the Jazz were not — Utah’s goal was to craft a contract that was only a one-year commitment for them, but a three-year commitment for the Sixers should they choose to match the offer sheet.

    In case you have not heard, the Sixers did end up losing in the first round of last season’s playoffs — suddenly, Reed’s future in Philadelphia was in doubt. And when Martin became available — with veteran Andre Drummond already secured on a deal to return to the Sixers — it was a no-brainer to waive Reed.

    The Sixers rounded out their starting lineup this summer by signing a battle-tested, tough-minded, two-way wing in Martin. And it would not have happened if the Jazz had not gotten creative but come up unsuccessful in their quest to sign Reed last summer.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

    Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • What to make of the Sixers-Knicks regular season series ahead of playoff matchup

    What to make of the Sixers-Knicks regular season series ahead of playoff matchup

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    In several recent seasons, the Sixers dominated the New York Knicks in the regular season. There was a multi-year span in which the Knicks failed to notch a single victory over the Sixers. Things changed in 2024, though, when the new-look Knicks took three out of four contests against the Sixers, with two of those wins coming in Philadelphia and all three of them occurring in blowout fashion. This past regular season was the first in which the Knicks won the season series over the Sixers since the 2015-16 campaign in which the Sixers finished 10-72.

    Season series results are often not emphatic indicators of playoff series outcomes, and this is an example of that: Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid only played in one of the four games these two teams faced off in this season. But across the four games, spanning from the beginning of January to the second week of March, there are some lessons we can learn.

    Just so you would not have to, I spent my Thursday afternoon and evening rewatching all four Sixers-Knicks contests looking for any sorts of tells that may indicate how the playoff series will turn out. Here is what I found:

    Tyrese Maxey will see a lot of different looks — but one more than most

    Like the Sixers and the Miami Heat team they just defeated, the Knicks have faced a tremendous amount of adversity this season, mostly in the form of injuries, and they have faced that adversity better than the Sixers or Heat all year long. Even now, as the dust settles before the playoffs begin, the Knicks will be without three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.

    There are many obvious negatives to dealing with a massive amount of injuries, but there are some silver linings. One of those is that it enables many players to prepare to fill several different roles throughout a season, so that no matter what challenges are thrown their way in the postseason, they do not have to enter uncharted territory. 

    The Knicks’ All-Star point guard, rising superstar scorer Jalen Brunson, finished this regular season 10th in the NBA in total minutes played. But two Knicks actually played in more contests than Brunson: fellow Villanova products, workhorses Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who each logged 81 games. Hart is one of the game’s best rebounders; DiVincenzo is one of the game’s best three-point shooters. But both are tried and true defensive forces. Hart uses his incredible strength to take on bigger assignments, while DiVincenzo is more reliable against guards.

    The Knicks, however, swung a significant trade at the end of December, acquiring wing OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors. Because of his late arrival and ensuing injuries, Anunoby has only played 23 games in blue and orange — but when he has suited up, the Knicks have been dominant: New York went 20-3 in the regular season when the two-way threat was available. Part of the reason why was that he immediately stepped in as one of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s most trusted perimeter defenders. 

    At 6-foot-7 and 232 pounds, Anunoby can guard big wings and even some big-men. But because of his tremendous athleticism and foot speed, he may profile as the Knicks’ best chance to slow down Maxey, the Sixers’ first-time All-Star guard who may be in line to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award after averaging 25.9 points per game — 11th-best in the NBA — in his fourth professional season.

    Anunoby only played in two of the four Sixers-Knicks games this season — though Sixers head coach and former Toronto shot-caller Nick Nurse’s former trusted wing did play against the Sixers twice in the early portion of the season as a member of the Raptors. But when Anunoby did suit up for New York against the Sixers, he was often Thibodeau’s first choice to defend Maxey. When one glances at Maxey and notices his frame, they would not expect someone who looks like Anunoby to be his primary defender over the course of a playoff series. But the Knicks’ starting wing figures to draw the assignment more than any of his teammates.

    This is where we must circle back to the Knicks’ bumpy journey, though. Because they have had to live life without Anunoby on plenty of occasions, the Knicks have both Hart and DiVincenzo more than prepared to take on the Maxey assignment at any given moment. Anunoby’s superior speed likely makes him Thibodeau’s choice to open things, but if either of Hart or DiVincenzo need to step into that role, they can. The Knicks’ rotation also features an x-factor of sorts: 23-year-old guard Miles “Deuce” McBride, whose ability to defend his position at a high level while also knocking down 41 percent of his three-point attempts on significant volume has made him a fan favorite in New York. 

    Things did not go perfectly for Maxey against Miami. Unfortunately for him, they are not going to get much easier against New York. The time for him to step up is now.

    The Sixers do stand a chance against Brunson

    Brunson is, as Maxey referred to him after Wednesday night’s Play-In Tournament victory, New York’s “head of the snake.” The Villanova product who was born in New Brunswick, NJ put together an absolutely stellar season featuring yet another massive leap. Brunson received his first All-Star nod in the first half of the season and only got better from there, ultimately averaging 28.7 points per game — the fourth-highest average in the NBA over the course of the season.

    As you have probably heard by now, Sixers veteran wing Nico Batum had the game of his life to save the Sixers’ season Wednesday night: he scored more points (20) than he had in any game in over a calendar year, put on a defensive clinic and came through in every single important spot. 

    The Sixers did a good job limiting Brunson as a scorer across their four contests against the Knicks this season, holding him to 22.3 points per game on subpar efficiency (Brunson posted a true shooting percentage of 53.6). One of the primary reasons was Batum, who by my eye spent more time defending Brunson than any other Sixer. Batum may continue to come off the bench in this series — the Sixers’ starting lineup of Maxey, Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris and Embiid has generally been quite successful since Embiid’s return from injury, and starting lineup changes this time of year are rare. But Batum’s ability to not just pressure Brunson, but do so across all 94 feet of the floor, make it easy to pencil him in as an integral part of the Sixers’ rotation in this series, perhaps even more than usual.

    But, like the Knicks, the Sixers have plenty of trustworthy defensive options on the perimeter as well. Lowry and Oubre were both stellar on that end of the floor against Miami, and will both see some of Brunson (Oubre would be my pick to open games defending him). Maxey lacks the physicality to counter the immense strength that helps make Brunson so lethal, but his defensive strides in recent weeks have been noticeable, culminating in an impressive outing in that department against the Heat. He can take on difficult assignments these days, even if for brief spurts of time. Harris is not the ideal defender against a point guard, but has enough reps in similar matchups that he would not be a terrible option against Brunson if needed.

    Slowing down Brunson may be even more challenging for the Sixers than slowing down Maxey will be for the Knicks. But in addition to the strategic advantages that come with having a coach as creative as Nurse, the Sixers do have the requisite personnel to make the fellow first-time All-Star guard’s life difficult.

    Hart attacks are on the way to Philadelphia

    By the end of any good playoff series, each fanbase has a newfound hatred for a player on the opposing team who they simply did not realize would frustrate them so much. Heat fans may never forget The Nico Batum Game. One reason the Sixers won that game is because Miami was without renowned Sixers Killer Terry Rozier. 

    Hart’s exploits have always been respected because he played at a high-profile school and won a national championship. His abilities have become even more appreciated in recent months as he stars in a significant role for one of the league’s flagship teams in one of its largest markets. He is even a viral podcaster these days. But at his core, Hart is simply a killer who will always find a way to torture his opponents and their fans.

    I do not say this lightly: Hart has the chance to frustrate Sixers fans more than any opposing role player has since Marcus Smart’s peak of annoyance with the Boston Celtics.

    First of all, the way the Sixers play on defense and their tendency to attempt to suffocate stars allow capable but imperfect three-point shooters to take big shots. One of the reasons they beat Miami is that someone like former Sixers developmental project Haywood Highsmith missed all four of his three-point tries. Hart fits the exact profile: he is not a good enough shooter that the Sixers will always stick to him when Brunson drives — Hart made just 31 percent of his three-point tries this season — but as a 34.4 percent three-point shooter for his career and a genuine big-game player, he has more than enough ability to knock down a crucial shot in a pivotal situation.

    Then there is the defense. Hart will likely get some cracks at Maxey; as a 6-foot-4 player that is the kind of matchup one might expect him to take on. But he will also see a lot of time — perhaps the majority of his minutes — against wings. Hart is extremely physical, enough to hang with guys who may have much better frames like Batum or superior athleticism like Oubre. 

    But Hart is also cerebral. There will absolutely be times when he goads Harris into making avoidable blunders. His timing on double-teams against Embiid will be pristine, and he will likely force the reigning NBA MVP to commit some turnovers that look like head-scratchers. Hell, he and Thibodeau are both so maniacal that he could end up guarding Embiid one-on-one at certain junctures. That is the kind of versatile athlete the Sixers will have to deal with here.

    This is perhaps all without mentioning the part of Hart’s game that will anger Sixers fans the most: his uncanny rebounding ability. Despite that 6-foot-4 listed height, Hart averaged 8.3 rebounds per game this season. He finished the season 16th in the NBA in total rebounds, an absolutely ridiculous feat for someone of his size. What is as impressive as Hart’s rebounding ability is the timeliness of his rebounds. He seems to come up with every single 50-50 ball, will revive possessions with offensive rebounds at crucial junctures of games, and is simply able to come away with the ball on occasions when he has absolutely no business doing so. 

    Prepare for at least one Knicks win in this series where Hart makes a defining play or has a signature moment or performance. It feels inevitable.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Sixers Flirting with Dangerous Territory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Sixers Flirting with Dangerous Territory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Don’t get me wrong, the Sixers are having a great season. It has been incredibly fun to watch after the less than optimal start to the season. Nick Nurse has been refreshing, and Embiid has played so well that I almost forgot James Harden was on the team this year; however, they still only sit at the third seed in the east with the Knicks close behind.

    History of NBA Champions’ Seeding

    Teams that finish the regular season with the 1 seed are the obvious favorites to win the NBA Finals. Teams with the 1 seed have made the finals 89 times, the 2 seed – 39 times, 3 seed – 16 times, 4 seed – 5 times, and the 5-8 seeds combined have made it 5 times.

    So, historically, teams that fall out of the top 3 have a very tough time getting to the NBA finals. The Sixers are finding themselves falling into that territory right now. Between the rocky start with new players and a new coach, and Embiid missing his usual lot of games, they could find themselves as the road team in the second round of the playoffs if they aren’t careful.

    What’s Gone Wrong So Far?

    As usual, Joel Embiid has missed a ton of games so far this season. 12 to be exact. If he misses 5 more games, he will be ineligible to receive MVP even though he has dominated the league more than anyone has in years. This isn’t a “bash Embiid” session, but the big man needs to find a way to stay healthy. Home court advantage gives teams major advantages in the playoffs – as seen above.

    Oubre and Melton have also missed 14 and 12 games respectively. These two should contribute heavily to this team, but with them missing so much time it has forced Nick Nurse to give more minutes to Korkmaz, Springer, and Martin, who will most certainly not see much time in the playoffs. These guys need to stay healthy to develop the chemistry needed for the playoffs and to give the team a boost to get better seeding before April 20th comes around.

    A handful of others players have also missed a few games including Maxey, Tobias, Batum, and Beverly. Hopefully the team is getting the injury bug over with earlier so they can dominate down the road.

    What’s Gone Right?

    The Centers

    First off: Paul Reed.

    Out of all the injuries the Sixers have had, Reed has not missed a game. I don’t know why Glen Rivers hated this guy so much, but now that he has firmly taken the backup center position, he has done a great job. He is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, and assists this year. It is nice to see him get a real chance.

    Also, even though it was a loss, he had a career night against Jokic, scoring 30 points and 13 rebounds with no Embiid, Maxey, Tobias, or Melton. Having games like that against a premier player like Jokic could get him a starting gig somewhere around the league.

    This goes without saying, but Embiid has been the other shining positive this year. He has just been so dominant in every game he’s played. By the way, he still has more points than minutes on the season. He is well on his way to be the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to do so, AND he is averaging more points per minute than Wilt did in 1961. What a phenomenal player.

    We’ll Have to Wait and See

    We can look at the history of the NBA seeding and talk about Embiid’s playoff woes all we want, but none of it means this will not be Embiid’s year. Continuing to play at this level will cause a lot of problems for teams in the playoffs. He will have to stay healthy, but the future looks bright for Embiid and the Sixers this year.

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    Collin Benjamin

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