The 76ers failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals again this year, falling to the Celtics in seven games. Departures big and small are sure to follow.
After sweeping the Nets in first round of the NBA Players, the 76ers had hopes of taking the next step towards the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics would be a formidable foe, but not unbeatable.
So the disappointment of a Game 7 loss to Boston was always going to be sharp. Watching it all go down in flames in a 24-point second-half blowout made it all the more painful
Philadelphia fell 112-88 to the Celtics to end their season. Now they get to make some tough personnel decisions as the offseason looms.
Philadelphia 76ers who definitely won't be back next season
No. 3: Jalen McDaniels
Philadelphia added Jalen McDaniels via a trade earlier this year. He averaged 6.7 points per game in the regular season and brought a solid defensive presence to the floor, presumably auditioning for a contract.
And at first it looked like the 76ers would be willing to use him in the playoffs. He averaged 16.5 minutes int he series against the Nets and had 11 or more minutes in the first three games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Celtics. Then…well, he wasn't part of the plan anymore. He didn't play in Game 4, 5 or 7 and got one minute in Game 6.
That could be a Doc Rivers issue, but it won't do much to inspire McDaniels' confidence in his current spot.
McDaniels should have suitors in free agency and based on the way Philly utilized him in the postseason, he may not be part of the plan, unless a new regime makes it so.
Philadelphia 76ers who definitely won't be back next season
No. 2: Montrezl Harrell
The 76ers have several free agents hitting the open market from Georges Niang to the aforementioned Jalen McDaniels. They also have a lot of deadweight.
Montrezl Harrell was the Sixth Man of the Year in 2020 with the Clippers but he's fallen off considerably in impact since then. This past season with the 76ers, he averaged just 11.9 minutes per game, his lowest since 2015-16 when he was a rookie with the Rockets.
Harrell came to Philly on a two year deal in 2022 looking to reunite with James Harden and Doc Rivers. Rivers' job security should be at a low while Harden is reportedly considering a move back to Houston. So Harrell's incentive to take his player option for 2023-24 feels low.
Even if he didn't have a particularly productive year, there will be teams out there interested in the 29-year-old Harrell for his energy off the bench and size.
Philadelphia 76ers who definitely won't be back next season
No. 1: Doc Rivers
Yeah, it's all been leading up to this.
Monty Williams, Nick Nurse and Mike Budenholzer were all fired this year and they all made it to the NBA Finals or won a championship in the last five years.
Rivers has been with the 76ers three seasons now and he hasn't made it to the conference finals, let alone the NBA Finals. In fact, he hasn't taken a team to the conference finals since he was in Boston more than a decade ago.
And it's not like he hasn't had the teams to get there. The Chris Paul-Blake Griffin Clippers were title hopefuls. The Joel Embiid-led 76ers have the same aspirations and the same disappointments in the less stacked Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia was blown out in the second half of Game 7 against the Celtics. They gave up. And that fact lies at the feet of the head coach. So do all the questions about rotations that have lingered throughout the postseason.
Rivers is still living off his 2008 NBA Championship. Philadelphia gave him three years. He shouldn't get another.
