NBA Rumors: Could the Sixers offer Mike Conley a max deal?

Mike Conley is the top point guard is this year’s thin free agent class. With the Sixers in win-now mode, could they offer him a max contract?

After three years of Sam Hinkie as the general manager for the Philadelphia 76ers, their team-building philosophies will be moving in a different direction this offseason.

Like the previous seasons, the Sixers will have plenty of money to spend, except, under first-year general manager Bryan Colangelo, the team will actually collect assets with the intention of winning games.

As the negotiating period of free agency approaches on July 1 and the signing period begins on July 7, the Sixers have the most cap space in the league at $57,325,306 million.

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And with the salary cap projected to increase $22 million, the Sixers can be big time players in free agency.

One of the biggest needs for the Sixers entering the 2016-17 is a point guard, and Mike Conley could be one of the names Colangelo is starting to consider in a very thin free agent point guard class.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN, some members of the Memphis Grizzlies’ front office are concerned that Conley will leave and sign with another team in free agency.

Could that team be the Sixers?

The Sixers’ starting point guard last season, Ish Smith is set to become an unrestricted free agent, which would leave Kendall Marshall and T.J. McConnell as the only point guards on the roster.

And considering the Sixers have been linked to Atlanta Hawks guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder, and even Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls, it would make a lot of sense for them to pursue the top point guard prospect in this free agent class.

In the final year of Conley’s contract with the Grizzlies he made $9.3 million.

Per Begley’s report, the Grizzlies can offer Conley a five-year deal worth approximately $124 million. Other teams could offer him a four-year deal worth approximately $92 million.

Signing a 28-year old point guard, who will be on the wrong side of 30 when the Sixers start to be competitive may be counter-productive, as Derek Bodner of Philly Mag wrote here, however.

There’s no doubt Conley would be an immediate upgrade at the point guard position.

Despite not making an all-star game in his career, Conley brings plenty of postseason experience by appearing in 50 playoff games and could provide the veteran leadership the Sixers so desperately need.

In the long run, Conley may also attract other talented free agents to join him in Philadelphia.

While Conley is known for his defensive prowess, he also averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game in 56 games for the Grizzlies last season. He sat out the last few months of the season with an achilles injury.

Colangelo has stressed multiple times this offseason about how he wants to win now.

But it will be up to him and the front office to decide whether pursuing Conley will rush the Sixers to the middle of the Eastern Conference or eventually lead them into a deep playoff run with a possible healthy Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons by his side.