CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers accomplished their offseason goals by bringing in guys that addressed their needs for toughness and contributions at both ends of the court.
After being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, the Sixers clearly needed to make changes to the roster. They had their stars, Joel Embiid and James Harden, but they needed help in the aforementioned departments.
Philadelphia added PJ Tucker at the start of free agency, luring him away from the Miami Heat. Tucker and the Heat had eliminated the Sixers in the 2022 playoffs, so his decision to join Philadelphia was a bit of a surprise, considering how great he was in Miami.
“Honestly, me and James were trying to come here the year before, so I kind of already knew the vibe and the rhythm of the team, it just made sense,” said Tucker on Monday at media day. “It just made sense, honestly.”
It also helps that the Sixers are a contender. The veteran out of Texas did not want to go to a team that did not have a chance at winning a championship this season.
“When you’re a free agent, I’ve been looking at it all,” he added. “Especially being a vet. I can’t imagine playing for a team that’s not fighting for a championship anymore, you know, being in a situation you feel like you can’t win. I couldn’t do that. So picking the best situation for me and checking all the boxes, it just checked all the boxes.”
Tucker, despite being 37 years old, still looks like he can be a big difference-maker on the floor for the Sixers as they continue to chase a championship.
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