The Sixers made the best roster moves of the 2026 offseason, according to NBA general managers. In its annual survey of major league decision makers, John Shuman of NBA.com writes that 73% of his respondents chose Philadelphia as the best summer, with Heat coming a distant second with 10% (three votes). The Hornets were chosen by two respondents (7%), and art Celtics, Timberwolves and Predators received one vote each.
Interestingly, the general managers were not so confident in predicting the success of the 76ers in the 2026/27 season. Philadelphia was the top choice (27%) for a team whose level of success is difficult to predict, followed by Minnesota (17%). Lakers and Jazz (equal to 13%).
After that Thunder in 2024 and 2025 Spurs were the preferred choice this time. Led by Victor Wembanyama, Castle Stefan and Dylan HarperSan Antonio received 87% of the vote. The Wizards (7%) were the only team to receive more than one vote.
The Spurs were also the favorite (50%) to win the championship after losing the 2026 NBA Finals to New York in five games. The Thunder, who won the title in 2025 but lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals in 2026, finished second with 43%. Current champion Nix received one vote, as did the Sixers.
As Shuman details, Wembanyama set GM poll records for highest percentage of MVP votes (77%) and player GMs would most like to start a franchise with (93%). The French big man was the top choice for eight different questions, including scoring the highest possible 97% for both best defensive player and best inside linebacker (Gross was not allowed to vote for his own teams or personnel, so no one could reach 100%).
Here are some more interesting results Survey of GM Schumannwhich should be checked in full:
- New Heat forward Janice Antecumba received 53% of the vote as the off-season signing that will make the biggest impact in 2026/27, with the new Sixers forward Jaylen Brown (20%) and LeBron James second and fourth respectively. Predators forward Kawhi Leonard also received 13% of the vote.
- New Spurs forward Tobias Harris was voted by general managers as the most underrated acquisition of the offseason with 20% of the vote, followed by Celtics center Mitchell Robinson (17%) and Hornets a great man Naz Reed (10%). Lamela’s ball and Jonathan Cuminga with Timberwolves, Lugentz is there with Hawks and Peyton Watson with Cavaliers all received two votes (7%).
- The league’s general managers are ranked third overall Cameron Boozer – that Grizzlies forward is their Rookie of the Year pick (50%), ahead of the other top four Caleb Wilson (Bykov; 20%), A. Ya. Dybants (Wizards; 17%) and Darrin Peterson (Jazz; 13%). Still, Boozer finished third (23%) when GMs were asked to predict which rookie would be the best player five years from now, behind DiBanza and Wilson (tied for first at 33%) and ahead of Peterson (10%).
- Bucks security guard Braden BurrisThe 10th overall pick in June, received the highest share of votes (30%) for the biggest steal in the draft by a comfortable margin. Predators forward Allen Graves (19th), Sixers security guard Labron Filon the younger (22nd) and Cavaliers security guard Melick Thomas (34th) are second with three votes each (10%).
- While Spurs and Thunder viewed as the top two teams in the West, with a combined total of all first-place votes and all but two second-place picks, GM is less certain of the East’s ranking. The Nix (60% first place, 27% second) can easily be considered the best team, but the share of votes in a group of two to five (Sixers, Cavaliers, Celtics and Pistonsin that order) was distributed relatively evenly. The Predators took sixth place, followed by the Pacers and Heatwho became the seventh.
