The Warriors have now become the new 76ers to the Celtics

The Golden State Warriors have reloaded quite a bit over the past year by getting involved with Boston Celtics alumni. After the Jimmy Butler trade breathed in new life for them last year, they attempted to strike while the iron was hot by bringing in Al Horford. Following all their struggles and injuries this season, they tried again by bringing in Kristaps Porzingis.

Somehow it hasn't stopped there, because they brought in Charles Bassey yesterday, who managed to play the same day they signed him (that must have been a quick flight). It seems like they have an affinity for big men previously associated with the Celtics.

We can't necessarily blame them. Outside of Draymond Green, their frontcourt rotation has been pretty laughable, and with the Stephen Curry window closing, their desperation is understandable.

What's weird about all of this is that the Philadelphia 76ers used to do this exact strategy back in the day. They would take Celtics alumni in the hopes that they could help them, but it would never work.

Year after year, the Sixers would poach ex-Celtics

This "trend" started in 2017, when Philadelphia brought in three Celtics from Boston's roster the previous season: Amir Johnson, James Young, and Demetrius Jackson. The only notable name from that was Johnson, who was washed up by the time they joined the City of Brotherly Love.

This only continued, as Johnson and Jackson were on the team the following season, but they also added Greg Monroe, who had finished the previous season with Boston.

Now every Celtics fan remembers full well when they got Horford to join them the following summer, but like the other aforementioned names, not only did it not work out between him and the Sixers, but it was an outright disaster for them that they had to use a pick to get him off their payroll.

Maybe that would have convinced the Sixers to stop doing this, but nah. The following season, they signed Vincent Poirier (pat yourself on the back if you remember him), which, again, happened the year after he spent his lone season in Boston.

Luckily, this trend has stopped after that, as they've learned that bringing in Boston players hasn't really worked in their favor. The irony is that the Celtics have brought in multiple Sixers alumni and turned them into success stories, most notably Evan Turner, Josh Richardson, and Jaden Springer (who didn't blossom but became an NBA Champion!).

Golden State will likely see the same result

Maybe a few years ago, Horford and Porzingis would have been exactly what the doctor ordered for the Warriors, but Horford is almost 40, while Porzingis is now at constant risk for both illness and injury. No one in Boston is rooting against them after what they've done for the franchise, but it's easy to be realistic about what they can and cannot do at this point now that they're not in Boston anymore.

It's not really on them either. Like Philadelphia, the problem in Golden State lies more with the flawed roster construction than anything else. The risks with their roster simply outweigh the talent at this point. If it didn't, the Warriors wouldn't be fighting for a play-in spot this late in the season.

It was better that Golden State did something rather than nothing, but taking Celtics castoffs doesn't rectify that it's too little too late for them.