The Sixer Sense
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Bryan Colangelo’s Moves Are Planning For The Future

By Tom Ignudo

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Bryan Colangelo and the Philadelphia 76ers are putting together moves that truly plan for the future of the franchise.

Before the legal tampering of NBA Free Agency began, the Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly going to attempt to be suitors for some of the most coveted players on the market.

General manager Bryan Colangelo even said himself, the Sixers are going to take a step forward in the process and try to win now. But now, as we’re one day away before free agent signings and trades can become official, free agency hasn’t gone as planned for the Sixers.

The Sixers reportedly were planning to be “serious suitors” for Harrison Barnes, who later signed with the Dallas Mavericks, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.

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Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com, reported the Sixers also expressed interest in Dion Waiters, Jamal Crawford and Allen Crabbe.

Despite those reports, the Sixers have been moving quietly throughout free agency thus far.

If you look past Kevin Durant signing to the Golden State Warriors, which has taken over discussions on nearly every TV and radio outlet, behind the scenes the Sixers are making some solid deals to veterans.

The Sixers agreed to terms with former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless to a three-year $27 million deal, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press.

According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Sixers agreed to a one-year $8 million deal with Euroleague star Sergio Rodriguez

Philadelphia then reached an agreement with former Portland Trail Blazers guard Gerald Henderson on a two-year $18 million deal, according to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com.

The players the Sixers have reportedly signed didn’t headline the free-agent class, but they do all represent one common theme: Colangelo understands he needs to plan for future and not overpay for mediocre talent.

This upcoming year for the Sixers is about player development.

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It’s to see what No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons can do alongside Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. It’s to see if Joel Embiid, who hasn’t played in over two-years, can last a full season and play legit minutes in the NBA.

Throwing outrageous amounts of cash at players would stunt the growth of the core players on the team like Simmons and Embiid, and rush “The Process” into the middle of the Eastern Conference.

Not only will this season be about results on the court, it’s also about bringing together a bond in the locker room. And the free agents the Sixers who have reportedly agreed to terms with can do exactly that.

Bayless is known as a true professional and a player can lean on to guide their young team off the court.

Bayless shot a career-high 43 percent from 3-point range last season. He was also one of the best catch-and-shoot players in the NBA last year, which should fit nicely in the lineup alongside Simmons.

Rodriguez played six seasons in the NBA before going to play for Real Madrid in the Euro League, and won the Euro League MVP in 2014. He will most likely play a stop-gap point guard role until the Sixers find his replacement in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Henderson comes in as a local product from the Episcopal Academy, who will more than likely start at the two-guard for the Sixers.

And one detail about the contracts the Sixers have handed out is none of the contracts last longer than three-years. This gives Colangelo cap-flexibility to sign players to max-contracts in the coming years.

The salary cap is projected  to rise to $107 million for the 2017-18 NBA season. 2017’s free agent class is headlined by players like Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry and Gordon Hayward.

Colangelo has set the Sixers up nicely in the years to come with cap space. But one of the many things preventing a top-tier free agent to land in Philadelphia is the lack of talent on the roster.

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This was evident during this free agent process. And this season, Simmons, Okafor and possibly Embiid will be showcasing their talents in order to lure top free agents to the city for years to come.