Philadelphia 76ers built a championship-caliber rotation by prioritizing defense

These offseason additions make the Philadelphia 76ers deeper than ever.

Instead of drafting another rotation hopeful in the late 20s, Morey opted to flip the Philadelphia 76ers’ draft pick and the injured Danny Green to Memphis for combo guard De’Anthony Melton, a two-way menace coming off the best season of his career.

Playing in relief of star Ja Morant, Melton hit 139 3-pointers at a 37.4% clip while serving as an off-ball threat and secondary playmaker. Where Melton truly shines is on defense. He’s an exceptional event creator with a unique aptitude for blocking shots, intercepting passes and forcing turnovers. That’s not to take away from his on-ball impact, which was exceptional throughout the year and played an essential part in establishing Memphis as a daunting defensive unit.

Similarly, P.J. Tucker adds a dimension of on-ball impact that Philly will hugely benefit from come playoff time. With brute strength, unrelenting effort and immense IQ, Tucker is a defensive cog that cannot be understated. He was an essential member of the Miami Heat rotation a year ago and played a pivotal role in securing Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA Finals victory. His experience and unique set of skills make him a contender to start games in the postseason.

Also joining the roster are center Montrezl Harrell and forward Danuel House — two players who entered the league with Morey’s Rockets and have experience doing the dirty work like rebounding, hustling, defending and scoring without high usage. Harrell, who won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2020, just might be the best bench center in basketball. Playing with elite creators on the Philadelphia 76ers, this could be a resurgent season for Trez.