The Philadelphia 76ers are star-hunting, but that doesn’t mean everybody on their radar is among the league’s best.
We’re under one week away from the official start of free agency. The Philadelphia 76ers, in the words of Brett Brown, will be star-hunting. Expect meetings with big names, ranging from LeBron James to Paul George. A Kawhi Leonard trade is still very much on the table, to boot.
The Sixers will focus on more than just the full-blown stars, though. The offseason is about planning for a variety of different potential outcomes. Whether it be minimum contracts to place around LeBron or potential fallback options, the Sixers will be sifting through numerous names.
Last year we saw the Sixers add multiple one-year contracts, with J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson signing on for short-term paydays. The year before we saw Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez and Gerald Henderson join the squad as veteran help on the perimeter.
This season will probably be some combination of the two. Especially if LeBron decides to sign elsewhere, the Sixers will be looking to maintain cap space for the summer of 2019. They’ll also be looking for experienced pieces who can help them compete on day one.
How the Sixers’ roster shakes out will depend heavily on their own free agents as well. Amir Johnson, J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova are all unrestricted free agents. How Brett Brown handles them will determine the number of available roster spots, in turn determining their need for out-of-house talent.
If the Sixers inevitably move past LeBron and George in free agency — which, at this point, seems likely — here are some names that should be in the discussion.
Wayne Ellington, Miami Heat
Generally speaking, the Sixers should avoid shelling out long-term money if LeBron James and Paul George don’t come walking down Broad Street. That might complicate some of these potential targets, but they’re names to keep an eye on nonetheless.
If the Sixers have to walk away from Redick and Belinelli, Ellington is arguably the best replacement on the market. Another sharp-shooting gunner off the bench, his ability to move off the ball and drill spot-up threes would fit seamlessly in Brett Brown’s system.
Ellington was an underrated candidate for Sixth Man of the Year last season, averaging 11.2 points in 26.5 minutes per game. He also shot 39.2 percent on an average of 7.5 three-point attempts per game, blending volume and efficiency to an impressive extent.
A career journeyman who has peaked in Miami over the past two seasons, Ellington could view Philadelphia as the best place to continue his upward trajectory. He’d get plenty of playing time, effectively running many of the same sets designed for Redick and Belinelli.
By virtue of his athleticism, he’s also less of a defensive liability than Belinelli. Redick has always been a solid team defender, but Ellington can also hold his ground more consistently at the point of attack.
Coming off two strong seasons, Ellington may be looking for a long-term deal. If the Sixers can get him to buy into more money on a one-year flier, though, he could fit nicely — for obvious reasons.
Devin Harris, Denver Nuggets
The Sixers’ current guard rotation is starting to fill out, with Markelle Fultz, Landry Shamet and T.J. McConnell all competing for playing time next to (or behind) Ben Simmons. That doesn’t include wings like Robert Covington and Zhaire Smith, who will obviously get minutes as well.
With that said, adding another capable guard who can handle spot minutes could prove beneficial. Devin Harris should be an affordable option with a long resume of success. Going into his 15th season, the former All-Star has seen his share of success, mostly coming in complimentary roles.
Harris wasn’t the most efficient three-point shooter last season, hitting just 34.8 percent of his attempts from deep. As he transitions into more of an off-ball role in Philadelphia, though, that number should improve. That’s the norm when you’re on the receiving end of Ben Simmons’ passes.
Adding another ball-handler to the Sixers’ rotation also helps solve some of their most pressing offensive issues. If Fultz isn’t hitting shots early in the season, Harris is another capable playmaker who can get dribble penetration and hit the occasional pull-up jumper.
Giving Simmons multiple relief valves — players who can handle the ball, taking pressure of Simmons and allowing him to work off the ball — will be key to the Sixers’ success down the road. Simmons is a generational playmaker, but he and Joel Embiid can’t be asked to shoulder all creation duties.
Tyreke Evans, Memphis Grizzlies
Evans is coming off the best season since his rookie year, averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game for a middling Grizzlies team. He stepped up in the absence of Michael Conley Jr., giving Memphis another go-to option alongside Marc Gasol.
The contract situation will be the most challenging aspect of signing Evans. As somebody with a historically up-and-down career, the former Rookie of the Year might be looking for long-term money. Assuming LeBron and PG13 walk away, though, putting together a Redick-style contract should be on the table.
An athletic slasher who vastly improved his three-point shooting last season, Evans fixes some of the Sixers’ foremost issues. Not only is he another ball-handler, but his defensive versatility would add to the Sixers’ already-impressive defensive core.
At 6-foot-6, Evans is a plus athlete who can effectively defend three positions. He’s averaging over a steal per game for his career, jumping passing lanes and turning turnovers into transition offense. His fit in an up-tempo, defense-first system like Philadelphia is undeniable.
Judging a player’s shooting profile based on a one-season spike in efficiency is risky, but Evans showed enough as a spot-up shooter to project well next to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. He can create some off the bounce, but should be the beneficiary of ample open looks as well.
Depending the Sixers’ other free agency additions, Evans would likely occupy the sixth man role for Brett Brown’s squad. With that said, his secondary creation and shot-making ability might put him on the floor during crunch time.
Jerami Grant, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Sixers lack frontcourt depth, which could lead them to look at familiar options. Grant was an original Process member, joining the team as a second-round pick in 2014 and remaining with the team until early in the 2016 season, when he was traded for Ersan Ilyasova.
At 6-foot-9, Grant is a rangy athlete who offers unique versatility to the Sixers’ frontcourt rotation. He played some minutes at small-ball five in OKC, using his rim-running to effectively play off Russell Westbrook. He could find similar success next to Ben Simmons.
Grant has also shot 33.2 percent from deep in two seasons with the Thunder. That falls slightly below the league-average mark, but it’s promising improvement from somebody who could space the floor — at least marginally — at the center spot.
Where Grant really stands out is the defensive end, where his switch-ability would be a nice addition to the second unit. He’s another long, mobile athlete, capable of spending time on all five positions to some extent. The Sixers need more athletic bodies to throw at teams like Boston.
Competing for minutes with Jonah Bolden and Richaun Holmes, Grant should carve out a consistent role upon re-joining the Sixers. Trading him for Ilyasova, only for him to inevitably replace Ilyasova’s minutes, would almost be some version of the process coming full circle.
Seth Curry, Dallas Mavericks
Curry missed all of last season after having surgery for a stress fracture in his left leg. He now enters unrestricted free agency without any clear sense of where his value stands, opening the door for a team like Philadelphia to enter the discussion.
As somebody who spent most of his early career in Steph’s shadow, the 2016-17 season was a breakout of sorts for Seth. He averaged 12.8 points in 29 minutes per game, shooting an impressive 42.5 percent from three-point range.
Playing an integral role for a somewhat-competitive Dallas team, Curry looked the part of a long-term NBA contributor. He also fills a lot of holes in the Sixers rotation, giving them another knockdown shooter who can also carry the mantle of secondary playmaker off the bench.
While not an elite athlete, Curry has a quick trigger from deep and plenty of craft when driving the lane. He’s nowhere near his brother’s level, but flashes some of the touch and flare that has become synonymous with his last name.
The only major concern with Curry’s game is the defensive end, where his 6-foot-2 frame is lacking for a natural two-guard. Given the Sixers’ personnel, though, he could be easily hidden next to bigger guards like Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.
Next: Kawhi is a better fit than LeBron
How Curry’s medicals check out will go a long way in determining where he ends up and how much money he receives this summer. With the Sixers (potentially) having open cap space and the league-wide market shrinking, Brett Brown should be intrigued by the youngest Curry’s skill set.