As Philadelphia 76ers Improve, Free Agency Becomes An Option

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The Philadelphia 76ers should strive to succeed this year. If they do, they have more forces in play to excel in the 2016 off-season. How so?  The draft picks of the Philadelphia 76ers are numerous and insulated from the team’s own record.  If they win enough to fall out of a top five pick, they continue to have the rights to swap their first round pick with that of the Sacramento Kings.  They may be able to exercise the right to the Los Angeles Laker’s first round pick if it falls out of the top three.  They also have the rights to the first round pick of both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat.

So if the Sixers go on an unexpected winning streak, their draft is still very solid.

But a season with more wins than anticipated will do wonders for the team in the off-season. If they so choose, the election to pursue top free agents becomes feasible, as the team will appear to be that much closer to post-season competitiveness.   If the team elects the trade option with a willing NBA team, success this year merely serves to highlight the current roster, adds value to our players, and makes a trade that much more likely to result in a favorable outcome for Sixers fans.  It also serves to place this team into a better light, a young team on the cusp of greatness and longevity, which would serve as a remarkable showcase for that one special dominant NBA player to lead a team deep into the playoffs.

But the key to the free agency market begins with cash.  Available cash.   That’s the unspoken truth about the Philadelphia 76ers team under the watch of general manager Sam Hinkie.  The team is flush with available cash.   As Sam Hinkie has stocked the roster with second round and undrafted players, the team has loaded up with team-friendly contracts.   Hinkie learned from the best, as the Houston Rockets have long been known for an ability to sign players to team friendly contracts.   Hinkie has taken that template with him.  The key is his willingness to pay premium prices for uncertain talent.  He offers million dollar multi-year contracts to players whose only other offers come in at the league minimum.  But, and here’s the catch, he guarantees that contract for multiple years with an team option to sever that contract.  So the likes of Robert Covington sign with the Sixers and exceed their price by outplaying their salary, but are locked in on the team for several more years at the team option.

K.J.McDaniel was one such player who did not accept those terms, and became a trade which led to the team acquiring Isaiah Canaan and a second round draft pick.  Well those players who are signed to the Sixers oftentimes do succeed, to the teams good fortune.  Take Robert Covington for example: he is a legitimate NBA player. He’ll make $1 million this year, which is approximately 1/67th of the projected $67.1 million cap. Next year, Covington is scheduled to make about $1.02 million, which is approximately 1/87th of the projected $89 million cap.  In a league where starting small forwards earn in the $4-5 Million dollar range, Robert Covington costs $1 Million.

Where does the extra money go?  Where indeed. That is why agents do not like to deal with the Sixers, yet.

Next: Land Of Opportunity