Daryl Morey had quite the post-deadline press conference on Friday.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ President of Basketball Operations went viral for two sets of quotes. One didn’t sit right with Sixers fans, the other didn’t sit right with several fan bases.
After revealing he thought the Sixers certainly sold high on the fan-favorite Jared McCain, Morey expressed his confidence in this year’s Sixers in a way that shot down some of the Eastern Conference playoff contenders’ deadline moves.
Since the Sixers didn’t make any moves that added value to the roster this year, many see it as a failed deadline for Philly, who was urged by the star center Joel Embiid to avoid ducking the tax to get stronger. Morey doesn’t buy that notion.
“Like, it's still the team that people believed in,” he told reporters. “Folks have speculated on the improvements of our East competitors. I don't see it, personally. I think all the teams made moves at the deadline, but there weren't any needle movers, in my opinion."
Do These Acquisitions Move the Needle?
Forget the Chicago Bulls and even the red-hot Charlotte Hornets of the deadline.
Several playoff-ready teams in the Eastern Conference made deals and picked up some highly valuable acquisitions.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics took advantage of the Bulls’ fire sale and added the veteran center, Nikola Vucevic.
This year, many expected the Celtics to take a step back. Most braced for a gap year, considering Jayson Tatum is out, while Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded away due to financial reasons.
It turns out this might be the best gap year ever. The Celtics are legitimately good and clearly just needed a valuable front-court addition. Vucevic has been solid on a bad Bulls team for quite some time. He brings decent two-way value and is a threat as a stretch five. It’s truly the best move the Celtics could make for the year.
Detroit Pistons
Nothing flashy, but the Pistons cut ties with their homegrown sharpshooter Jaden Ivey for a package centered around Kevin Huerter. Had Ivey not been in a contract year, Detroit might’ve been more patient with him, seeing as though he’s dealt with multiple big injuries over the past year.
But an Ivey-less team won’t fall from grace. The top-seeded Pistons still added a quality shooter with playoff experience. Similar to the Sixers, the Pistons didn’t feel like they needed a big move. However, they’ve been the top team in the Eastern Conference for months at this point.
New York Knicks
Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t land with the Knicks, so the core group in New York stayed together.
For a moment, it seemed the NBA Cup banner curse was real. The basketball gods were punishing the Knicks, but now the curse is lifted. The Knicks are still very good, and they added a quality bench player in Jose Alvarado. The Sixers are 2-1 over New York this year, but even without a flashy move, the Knicks are still a challenging bunch for the Sixers. Alvarado is an under-the-radar move that could pay off in the playoffs.
James Harden
Cleveland Cavaliers
This is the one everybody is talking about. The Cavaliers took a big swing at the deadline, and in one of their two deals, they landed Daryl Morey’s old pal, James Harden.
Many fans believed that Morey’s quote was a shot at Harden and the Cavs. Calling Harden (still an All-Star-caliber guard), Keon Ellis (one of the top wings on the market), and Dennis Schroder (quality role player, with recent postseason experience) additions non-needle movers on paper is bold.
Only time will tell if the Cavaliers, or any of the teams mentioned above, truly moved the needle at the deadline or not. But those teams continue to pose a major threat to this year’s Sixers, seeing as though they are the four top teams in the conference.
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