Sixers Look to Buyout Market After Quiet Trade Deadline

Daryl Morey discusses Philadelphia's plans to improve the roster through free agent signings

Feb. 8, 2026 at 6:31am

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The Philadelphia 76ers made a couple of trades at the deadline, moving Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies. With the deadline now passed, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey says the team will look to the buyout market as their next avenue to improve the roster. Morey acknowledged they have a couple roster spots to fill and will be in the mix for some of the top buyout options, though he didn't name any specific players they're targeting.

Why it matters

The Sixers were relatively quiet at the trade deadline, making only minor moves to create some roster and financial flexibility. With the team still looking to contend this season, the buyout market represents their best opportunity to add talent and depth to the roster without giving up significant assets in a trade.

The details

Morey said the Sixers have two roster spots to fill after signing Charles Bassey and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to 10-day contracts. He indicated they'll look to add a guard or wing, focusing on getting the best available player rather than worrying too much about positional balance. While the Sixers didn't make any major deadline additions, Morey is hopeful they can find helpful contributors on the buyout market to bolster their roster for a playoff push.

  • The NBA trade deadline passed on February 8, 2026.

The players

Daryl Morey

The President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, responsible for managing the team's roster and making personnel decisions.

Jared McCain

A promising second-year guard who was traded from the 76ers to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Eric Gordon

An 18-year veteran who was traded from the 76ers to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Charles Bassey

A player signed by the 76ers to a 10-day contract.

Patrick Baldwin Jr.

A player signed by the 76ers to a 10-day contract.

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What they’re saying

“I think we're in the mix. I think they see a really good team or a really good market. We've had a lot of conversations already. We're obviously in competition with other teams, so I don't know if we'll get the first option necessarily, but we'll be in there with getting some of the top options.”

— Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers

“I mean, we have two to fill. Obviously, (Dominick) Barlow was one of the signings. I think balancing it out with guard and wing might—we really want to go for best player. I mean, obviously that sounds trite, but that's true.”

— Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers

“You do want to focus on a little roster balance in terms of adding this deadline. We thought, yeah, backfilling Paul (George) was a possible spot while he was out, but—I hate to repeat it again, the operative players that were available weren't adding in a way that was material out to what teams wanted us to give up for him.”

— Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers

What’s next

The Sixers will continue to monitor the buyout market in the coming weeks, looking to add talent and depth to their roster ahead of the playoffs.

The takeaway

With a quiet trade deadline behind them, the Sixers are now focused on the buyout market as their best opportunity to improve their team for a postseason run. Daryl Morey and the front office will be aggressive in pursuing top free agent options to fill out the roster and provide more support for the team's stars.