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Two timelines don't work and Sixers should have learned this from Warriors
Armed with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers have a choice to make. They can draft a high-level prospect to add to a growing young core. Or, they can package the pick with a veteran and look to improve their championship chances in the coming years.
According to Jake Fischer, via the SteinLine Newsletter, the Sixers are dead set on using their draft pick.
"Sources say Philadelphia greatly values the opportunity to add a young player to its core, which already features 24-year-old Tyrese Maxey and soon-to-be-second-year guard Jared McCain to complement the veteran duo of Joel Embiid and Paul George," Fischer reported.
Adding young talent is smart business. Cost-controlled talent is at a premium in the modern NBA, especially for teams in or around the second luxury-tax apron. However, straddling two development timelines is never a wise move.
Philadelphia can look toward the Golden State Warriors as a cautionary tale. Yes, they won a championship in 2022. But in truth, their youth played a marginal role. And now that Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have begun to hit the decline phase of their careers, Steve Kerr is struggling to find the right balance with his younger stars.
The truth is, you're either a rebuilding team or a contending one. You can't have one foot in either camp. Unfortunately for the Sixers fan base, that's exactly what their team is doing. Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain represent the future. Joel Embiid and Paul George are the present, tasked with bringing a championship to the city.
76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is potentially making a significant mistake. Multiple teams around the league are on the precipice of hitting the reset button, and multiple stars are expected to hit the trade block in the coming weeks. Overlooking that opportunity for the dice roll that is the draft is a miscalculation for a team designed to contend now.
The Sixers could have learned from other teams' mistakes. Instead, they're pushing forward, believing things will be different for them.
Unfortunately for Morey and the Sixers front office, hubris has a way of being humbled.
More must-reads:
- Report: 76ers Not Looking To Trade Joel Embiid, Paul George
- The 25 best NBA teams from the 2010s
- The '1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers' quiz
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The Boston Celtics have a major trade update amid an otherwise unpredictable offseason. The roster is already at an incredibly different place than last season, but Boston is reportedly shopping a $45 million guard to shed some salary and shake things up around the league even more. Additionally, the roster movement isn't expected to cease as the Celtics have been urged to sign an All-Star point guard. A pair of team insiders discussed the idea of bringing in the former No. 1 overall pick to bolster the new-look team. Finally, a former Celtics champion has been cut from a Western Conference squad. The 22-year-old will now search for his next home to continue his professional basketball life. Here’s more information on these stories and all the latest Celtics news (click the headline for the full article): Celtics Could Trade $45 Million Guard in Major Roster Shakeup: Report Celtics Urged to Sign Former All-Star in Major Free Agent Move Former Celtics NBA Champion Released By West Squad Celtics Roster ‘Makes Zero Sense’ Says NBA Insider Jayson Tatum Receives Injury Advice From Former Celtics Forward Former Celtics Forward Says His Injuries Are the Reason Jayson Tatum Became Superstar in Boston Celtics Tweets of the Day: For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
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