Sixers Fumble the Bag in Dejounte Murray Sweepstakes

Free agents and players on the trade block are finding their new homes one by one and the Philadelphia 76ers are still standing pat. Alex Caruso and OG Anunoby are no longer available and another likely trade target for the Sixers is now off the table as well. Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night and the trade package should make Sixers fans wonder whether they should have gotten in on the deal.

The Pelicans had to give up a 2025 and 2027 first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, and Larry Nance Jr. to get Murray. That is certainly an offer GM Daryl Morey could have beaten if he wanted to.

The Sixers can trade one 2026, one 2028, two 2029, and one 2031 first-round pick in any potential deal. On top of these five draft picks, they have Jared McCain and Adem Bona, two rookies they just drafted.

McCain and Dyson Daniels likely have similar trade values. The Sixers could have given two of the picks above to at least match the Pelicans' offer.

The benefit of trading for Murray would be the fact that the Sixers would have more moves to make afterward. The All-Star guard makes $28 million for next season, leaving the Sixers with about $30 million in cap space to fill out the rest of the roster. Armed with more draft picks, Philadelphia could have added another high-level starter next to the Murray-Maxey-Embiid trio.

Which direction Daryl Morey will go now remains to be seen. Perhaps this Pelicans move makes it more likely that Brandon Ingram is traded and the Sixers could be a potential suitor. Regardless, the Sixers need to nail these offseason decisions, otherwise Morey will find himself on the receiving end of serious criticism by Philadelphia fans.

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