Yes, he got paid, but Paul George chose Philadelphia and the Sixers in NBA free agency yes,he,got,paid,but,paul,george,chose,philadelphia,and,the,sixers,in,nba,free,agency,liberty,ballers,front-page,nba-free-agency,76ers-features-profiles


Philadelphia isn’t a place free agents want to come.

Outside of the Eagles, that saying has often rang true. After the Phillies’ golden era ended, the local nine struggled to field a competitive roster. Then, something amazing happened.

With plenty of options and interest from around Major League Baseball, Bryce Harper, the baseball equivalent of LeBron James who was just entering his prime, chose Philadelphia. While it took a couple years and a slew of other changes, Harper has helped make the Phillies a perennial contender and reinvigorated the city’s love of its local ball club.

No pressure, Paul George.

While nobody will expect George to have a Harper-like impact, the nine-time All-Star choosing to join the Sixers is a franchise-altering moment. And none of it would’ve been possible without Daryl Morey having the guts to deploy a bold plan.

This was all set in motion a year ago when James Harden surprisingly opted into his $47.3 million player option and promptly demanded a trade. You might recall things got a bit ugly, with the former MVP calling Morey — who has a commissioned painting of The Beard in his home — a liar. The saga would persist for months until finally the Sixers and Clippers, the only team Harden wanted to go to, came to an agreement.

In that deal, Morey acquired serious draft capital and four players, all on expiring contracts. While Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Sr., KJ Martin and Robert Covington all helped to varying degrees, it was clear that Morey acquired them mostly for the flexibility their pending free agency’s provided. Including P.J. Tucker’s outgoing contract in the trade also proved to be a huge win.

The Sixers rode out the 2023-24 season, banking on Joel Embiid to improve upon his MVP season, Tyrese Maxey to continue his ascension and new head coach Nick Nurse to make his mark. Well, those things did happen early on with the Sixers getting off to a terrific start to the season. Embiid’s meniscus tear put a huge damper on things, but a strong playoff showing against a tough Knicks team provided hope — along with the unfathomable flexibility Morey gave himself this offseason.

Think about the gumption it takes to go into an offseason having just one player on a guaranteed contract. That just doesn’t happen. After the Sixers were eliminated by New York in Game 6, that was the case.

Embiid was the only player on a guaranteed deal for 2024-25. We all knew Maxey was going to get his max extension (he did), but Paul Reed’s contract was no longer guaranteed since the team failed to make the second round (joke’s on you, Danny Ainge). Ricky Council IV (who remains on the roster) and Jeff Dowtin, Jr. (who does not) were also on non-guaranteed contracts.

So, the slate was as clean as it had been since Morey inherited a roster with the ill-fitting Al Horford and Josh Richardson and the volatile Ben Simmons. The Sixers president of basketball operations was ready to build the team he wanted around his two stars in Embiid and Maxey.

But boy, did an awful lot have to go right.

Morey made it clear at his end-of-season presser that he was going star-hunting. Armed with loads of cap space and draft assets, he had the proper ammo, but who would be available? LeBron James? Donovan Mitchell? Jimmy Butler? As free agency crept up, the options seemed to fall off the board — except George.

The Clippers and George could’ve agreed to a four-year max extension at any point. They did not. LA was reportedly hellbent on not giving a fourth year. George was hellbent on getting one. Therein lay the opportunity for Morey to swoop in. After a roller coaster few weeks where it seemed like the Clippers were trying to call his bluff, George knew he had options.

He could’ve opted in, perhaps forcing a trade to the Warriors — though, as we saw in the case of Harden, that process isn’t always so smooth. He could’ve taken the three-year deal to stay home in Palmdale, taking another run at a title with Kawhi Leonard in the Clippers’ brand-new toilet-rich arena. He could’ve joined an up-and-coming Magic team loaded with young talent.

But on Sunday night/Monday morning, he chose Philadelphia. It’s not hyperbolic to say landing George makes this one of the greatest offseasons in franchise history.

Think about it: the last “big name” free agent to choose the Sixers was current GM Elton Brand — on what was then called the “Philly Max” — way back in 2008, the last time the Phillies won the World Series. Funny enough, the Clippers were also the team Brand left to join the Sixers. Before that, you’d have to go back to 1982, when reigning MVP Moses Malone signed an offer sheet with Philly, forcing the Rockets to match and complete a sign-and-trade.

One of those situations worked out slightly better than the other.

But in this moment, Sixers fans should enjoy it. An executive who’d become maligned in the Delaware Valley took a ballsy path and it worked. A nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA performer and four-time All-Defensive Team pick decided the Sixers were his best option. Is George perfect? Of course not. Because no player is. But he is damn good.

As has been chronicled, a contingent of managing partner Josh Harris, Morey, Brand and executive vice president of basketball operations Pete Dinwiddie, who has a relationship with George from when the two were with the Pacers, made the trip to visit George’s L.A. home. Joining them was franchise icon Julius Erving, who brought home the organization’s last championship with Malone back in 1983.

It was not Dr. J but another franchise icon who George was paying homage to that night as he planned to tell the team of his intentions. George was wearing an Allen Iverson t-shirt. Iverson of course was the biggest of cogs on the last Sixers team to get to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Wearing a t-shirt with The Answer on it to give the Sixers his answer. That’s some next-level pandering. Bryce Harper would be proud.

2024 NBA Draft: Ron Holland’s talent and fit make him a near-perfect fit for the Sixers if he falls nba,draft,ron,holland,s,talent,and,fit,make,him,a,near,perfect,fit,for,the,sixers,if,he,falls,liberty,ballers,front-page,nba-draft,76ers-draft-rumors-news


Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is the G League Ignite’s Ron Holland.

Ron Holland was one of several prospects who opted to play with the G League Ignite rather than playing overseas or in the NCAA. After one year at a professional level, he’ll now make the jump to the NBA, where several analysts predict he could fall on draft night.

Profile

2023-24 Stats: 15 games, 30.3 minutes, 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.1 blocks, 47.4% FG, 23.9% 3P, 68.2% FT

Team: G League Ignite

Year: N/A

Position: SF/PF

Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’6.50” | 196.8 lbs

Born: July 7th, 2005 (18 years old)

Hometown: Duncanville, Texas

High School: Duncanville

Strengths

Athleticism, athleticism, athleticism. Holland is an explosive finisher around the rim and can hang in the air and score through contact. With the Ignite, he also showcased an ability to hit floaters as well. He’s a decisive attacker, often cutting to the rim, driving against closeouts and recognizing when backdoor cut opportunities are available. From a playmaking perspective, he’s a selfless passer that is capable of making fast decisions.

Defensively, he’s versatile with the mobility to switch onto a multitude of players. He hustles consistently and has good timing on chasedown blocks. Holland is one of the youngest players in this draft and will actually be 18 on draft day, but has plenty of experience with the G League and with USA Basketball’s junior teams, winning two gold medals.

Weaknesses

Holland’s biggest weakness revolves around his shooting. When spotting up, he has a stiff shot that doesn’t convert consistently. His free throw shooting, which is typically a good indicator on where a prospect’s shot is, is lackluster at 68.2 percent. I wouldn’t say his shot is fully broken, but there will definitely need to be some refinement in the coming years. Holland also struggles to convert when isolating; he’s better as a straight-line driver rather than creating his own shot.

Positional Fit

Ron Holland’s size, agility and playmaking should allow him to slot into several positions over time— especially if he can refine his shooting. For the first few years, I’d expect him to mainly slot in as a forward. Holland’s game has shades of a more skilled Gerald Wallace, or for younger fans Houston’s Tari Eason, or a younger Andrew Wiggins.

Draft Projection

SB Nation Mock Draft: No. 9, Memphis Grizziles

Many mocks have Holland going comfortable within the lottery, but there’s smoke out there that he could slide into the late lottery or out of it completely. If he’s available at 16, it’s hard to find a better talent that’ll still be on the board. Holland would also slot in nicely alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.

For more on Holland, check out this feature from SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell.

2024 NBA Draft: Philly native Justin Edwards struggled with consistency, but is he worth a flyer? nba,draft,philly,native,justin,edwards,struggled,with,consistency,but,is,he,worth,a,flyer,liberty,ballers,front-page,nba-draft,76ers-draft-rumors-news


Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Kentucky’s Justin Edwards.

Justin Edwards was named Pennsylvania’s Mr. Basketball in 2023 after leading Imhotep to a second straight state championship. The Philadelphia native, joined by Camden’s D.J. Wagner, was part of yet another impressive recruiting class for Kentucky. Though Edwards was one of the top recruits in the country, he had an inconsistent lone season with the Wildcats.

Profile

2023-24 Stats: 32 games, 21.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 48.6% FG, 36.5% 3P, 77.6% FT

Team: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Wing

Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’6” | 209.4 lbs

Born: December 16, 2003 (20 years old)

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

High School: Imhotep

Strengths

Edwards has legitimate NBA wing size at 6-foot-6 and a 6-10 wingspan. His lefty stroke is smooth. He has a quick and high release with the ability to shoot over defenders. After a slow shooting start, he hit over 46% from deep over his last 18 games (albeit on just 2.6 attempts a game). Though he didn’t test great at the combine, he looks athletic on the court. He showed legitimate slashing ability and good touch around the rim. He also displays decent instincts as a cutter and off-ball mover.

He showed flashes as an off-ball defender, getting into passing lanes and racking up deflections. His point-of-attack defense looked good in certain matchups, using his length well to bother smaller opponents.

Weaknesses

For such a high recruit, there was a lot of inconsistency from Edwards. It’s fair to wonder if it was a product of Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham — both projected to go high in the first round — outshining him or a bigger issue. Either way, he got lost in the shuffle a lot last season. He’s very left-hand dominant on drives and there wasn’t much as far as playmaking for others.

Defensively is where you wonder if that lack of elite athleticism will show up. While he did have moments as an on-ball defender, he did look stiff against shiftier players. It’s something that could potentially improve, but he’ll have to work at it.

Positional Fit

Edwards is clearly a wing. What type of wing remains to be seen. His shooting stroke should allow him to stick in the NBA. How he develops the rest of his game — ball handling, playmaking, defense — will determine his role at the next level.

Draft Projection

Second round

This does sort of feel like the type of player Daryl Morey would draft. His draft record suggests he won’t take players because of positional fit or whether they can help right away. He’s going to take the best player available, likely with the highest upside. Edwards is a guy you can talk yourself into because big wings that can shoot will likely never go out of style in the NBA.

2024 NBA Draft: Baylor Scheierman is one of the oldest players in the draft, but he can really play nba,draft,baylor,scheierman,is,one,of,the,oldest,players,in,the,draft,but,he,can,really,play,liberty,ballers,front-page,nba-draft,76ers-draft-rumors-news


Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman.

Baylor Scheierman destroyed the Summit League during his time at South Dakota State, becoming the conference’s Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. That led to a transfer to Creighton, where he changed from being a jumbo-sized point guard to more of a playmaking — and high-volume shooting — wing.

Profile

2023-24 Stats: 35 games, 36.8 minutes, 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 44.8% FG, 38.1% 3P, 87.6% FT

Team: Creighton

Year: Fifth-year senior

Position: Wing

Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’6.25” | 201.6 lbs

Born: September 26, 2000 (23 years old)

Hometown: Hastings, Nebraska

High School: Aurora

Strengths

Scheierman fit right into Creighton’s offense as a high-volume three-point shooter. He hit a preposterous 45.6% from deep in his sophomore and junior seasons at South Dakota State. His efficiency went down in a tougher league on a higher volume, but he still hit 38.1% on over eight attempts per game last season. He’s not just a shooter though. His experience as a point guard showed as a secondary playmaker for the Bluejays. He has a methodical style with the ball in his hands, but he often makes good decisions and delivers crisp passes.

He’s not the greatest athlete, but he fights on defense. He often took on difficult defensive assignments for Creighton and acquitted himself well against stiff competition in the NCAA Tournament. He’s also an excellent rebounder, pulling down over nine a game last season.

Weaknesses

Scheierman is one of the oldest players in this draft. He’ll turn 24 before the 2024-25 season begins. He was excellent for the Bluejays, but was also playing at 23 years old. The other concern is going to be a lack of elite athleticism. He actually tested decently at the combine, but there could be concerns when it’s time to go against NBA athletes.

Positional Fit

Scheierman’s experience as a point guard at 6-foot-6 makes him intriguing. The player I see the most is Joe Ingles — a big lefty that can handle, pass and shoot the hell out of the ball. Ingles has never been an explosive athlete, but he fights on defense and uses his savvy to make up for those limitations. It’s easy to see a similar NBA path for Scheierman.

Draft Projection

Late first, early second round

Bottom line, Scheierman can really play. He can shoot, has high-level feel and plays his butt off on defense. He doesn’t have any type of star ceiling, but he projects as a really intriguing role player. If he’s still there at pick 41, he should absolutely be in play for the Sixers.

2024 NBA Draft: Rob Dillingham is a must-draft if he falls to Sixers at No. 16 nba,draft,rob,dillingham,is,a,must,draft,if,he,falls,to,sixers,at,no,liberty,ballers,front-page,76ers-draft-rumors-news


Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Kentucky’s Robert Dillingham.

Coming off his freshman season, most draft analysts had Rob Dillingham as a surefire lottery pick. However, with the top of this draft’s murkiness, combined with other prospects rising, many around the league are thinking he could fall out of the lottery entirely. If he’s available at 16, should the Sixers take him despite not being the best fit? Let’s break it down.

Profile

2023-24 Stats: 32 games, 23.3 minutes, 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1 steals, 0.1 blocks, 47.5% FG, 44.4% 3P, 79.6% FT

Team: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: PG

Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’1” | 164.2 lbs

Born: January 4th, 2005 (19 years old)

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

High School: Donda Academy (Simi Valley, California)

Strengths

Rob Dillingham shines offensively as a shot creator. He’s shifty and is more than capable changing directions on a whim. He gets to where he wants more times than not, finishing with runners or crafty layups. Dillingham also is a proven shooter, who hit nearly half of his catch-and-shoot threes during his freshman season. Whether it’s off movement or standard spot-ups, he’s solidified himself as one of the best shooters in this draft. Off ball, he’s more than willing to cut or even set screens, which could pair great with a playmaking big (cough, Joel Embiid, cough). Dillingham’s four assists per game don’t scream playmaker, but he’s very skilled; he’s capable of cross-court kickouts or wraparound passes. At Kentucky, Dillingham drastically improved as a passer, passing out of pick-and-rolls in 57 percent of possessions (per Synergy). Defensively, Dillingham plays with effort and chases shooters through screens and handoffs.

Weaknesses

Dillingham’s commendable defensive effort has come back to bite him at times. He’s been erratic at times, getting too handsy, lost, or out of position too often. Dillingham’s frame is small, both in size and weight. Unlike other guards (such as Tyrese Maxey who is 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan), he doesn’t have a big wingspan which may limit his defensive potential even if he does add some weight or size. While Dillingham has improved as a passer, there’s still some room for more improvement — his passes often require his teammates to catch and adjust accordingly. At the college level, Dillingham proved to be a capable finisher but the NBA’s increased size and length may challenge his ability.

Positional Fit

Barring a huge growth spurt, Dillingham will almost certainly be a full-time point guard at the next level. He simply lacks the size or length to defend twos or other positions. Comparing his play style to other players, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to Kemba Walker — a smaller guard who used his quickness, shiftiness and handle to break down defenders.

Draft Projection

SB Nation mock draft: No. 12th, OKC Thunder

Most have Rob Dillingham as a sure-fire lottery pick, however recent rumors and reports suggest that he might slip out of the top-14. If he’s available at 16, I think it would be a borderline no-brainer move to draft him. Dillingham’s talent alone is legit, and while there would be size concerns alongside Tyrese Maxey, they could ease him into the league in a backup/fringe rotation role. Or they could draft Dillingham and use him in a future deal. Several rebuilding teams need up-and-coming point guards and there would be a real market for him if he’s made available.