Woj: Sixers more likely to make upgrades ‘on the margins’

Many around the NBA have wondered whether the 76ers will attempt to make a splashy trade to add another star next to center Joel Embiid.

Perhaps. But maybe not, too.

For starters, Embiid and the Sixers can take comfort in the rise of guard Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star this season if you ask Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse.

Along with that, frankly, not many stars are available. Nice players such as Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Hawks guard Dejounte Murray could be traded, and the Sixers have indeed been linked to both.

That said, neither is the type of players for which you mortgage the farm or break up the Sixers’ pretty good thing. Instead, it seems, the Sixers may look to add some help in reserve, if anything, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested in his weekly chat on Threads.

“(Sixers head of basketball operations) Daryl Morey is ALWAYS big-game hunting, but…I think it’s more likely some upgrades on the margins,” Wojnarowski wrote. “Philly is in great position in the offseason to make some more dramatic upgrades, because of their impending salary cap space, some valuable draft picks and a lineup with Embiid and Maxey that good players would certainly love to join.”

Entering Tuesday, the Sixers (23-12) sat in second place in the Atlantic Division behind the Celtics and third in the Eastern Conference. Is there room for improvement? Of course. Every team could say that. But in Philadelphia, there’s hardly reason for panic. So making a panic move should not be expected.