Last season, after the NBA’s resumption of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, the Philadelphia 76ers entered the NBA Bubble in Orlando with a 39-26 record and looked to be one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference Playoff Picture. After going 4-4 in their seeding games, the Sixers drew the sixth-seed in the playoffs and lost one of their All-Stars in the process.
Ben Simmons suffered a subluxation of the left patella against the Washington Wizards in one of the 76ers seeding games and missed the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. This left the Sixers with Joel Embiid as the only productive player on the roster to take on the highly talented and motivated Boston Celtics. This series was over before it began, as the Sixers got swept by the Celtics and were dismissed in the first-round of the playoffs, capping off a very disappointing season for Philly.
It was not long after losing this series that the 76ers fired Brett Brown and began their head coaching search. Newly appointed Sixers GM, Elton Brand, wanted to bring in a championship level coach that could lead this championship caliber core deep into the playoffs and while Ty Lue seemed like a great hire, the Philadelphia 76ers hired Doc Rivers to be their new head coach quickly after he was relieved of his duties in Los Angeles with the Clippers.
The Philadelphia 76ers also brought in former Houston Rockets GM, Daryl Morey, to be the President of Basketball Operations for the organization, and both him, Doc Rivers, and Elton Brand got to work on what they could do to surround Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Tobias Harris with the best talent possible. With over $90M being spent on these three players alone, finances were tight for the 76ers organization this offseason, but they made things work by moving Al Horford’s big contract in exchange for Danny Green and Terrance Ferguson.
Danny Green, the veteran shooting guard should give the 76ers a reliable wing defender, as well as a championship level and proven offensive player. Green is a three-time NBA champion, winning one title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, one with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and one with the Los Angeles Lakers last season in 2020.
Green’s ability to shoot from the perimeter will give the Sixers a more formidable unit from deep— something they have not had over the years. His defensive abilities give them someone they can count on the defensive end of the court next to their NBA All-Defense and All-Star, Ben Simmons. This was just one of two big acquisitions the 76ers made this offseason, the other coming on draft night.
