Back in late June, the day following the 2018 NBA Draft, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown spoke candidly with the media. As he discussed the rationale behind the decision to trade Mikal Bridges for Zhaire Smith and the Miami Heat’s 2021 first-round pick, Brown was transparent and blunt.
“We are star-hunting — or we are star-developing,” Brown told reporters while leaning into the microphone. “That’s how you win a championship.”
Throughout the ensuing months, Sixers management reinforced Brown’s message: Philadelphia was undoubtedly star-hunting. In November, it shipped out Robert Covington and Dario Saric for All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler.