The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Sixers: Top 5 free agents in the Southeast Division

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 16: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat watches his shot in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Two of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoff at Wells Fargo Center on April 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Heat defeated the 76ers 113-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 16: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat watches his shot in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Two of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoff at Wells Fargo Center on April 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Heat defeated the 76ers 113-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Wayne Ellington, Miami Heat

Ellington is coming off the best season of his career, in which he received legitimate Sixth Man of the Year chatter early in the year. He’ll now look to parlay that success into long-term money.

Strengths

Shooting, shooting and more shooting. Ellington was one of the best individual shooters in the league last season, hitting on 39.2 percent of his 7.5 three-point attempts per game. He brings much of the same value J.J. Redick brings — gunning around screens and keeping his defender occupied off the ball.

Part of that movement leads to timely cuts, finishing with touch around the rim and creating countless open looks without touching the ball. In systems that stress spacing, pace and movement — hi, Brett Brown — Ellington has a clear-cut role.

Weaknesses

Ellington has always been an elite shooter, but he struggled to carve out consistent playing time prior to his stint in Miami. He’ll need to convince teams that he can carry a significant role year-in and year-out.

He doesn’t provide much value outside his scoring either. He doesn’t create for others, grab rebounds, or defend at a high level. He’s one-diminsional in that respect, which is part of the reason for his historically spotty production.

Fit

The Sixers, especially if they strike out on LeBron, will certainly have Ellington on their shortlist of potential targets. He’d be less of a defensive liability than Marco Belinelli and, at 30 years old, he’s younger than both Marco and Redick.

His constant off-ball movement and knockdown shooting would fit seamlessly in Brett Brown’s system. Whether it be a mid-level contract or a more expensive one-year deal, Ellington makes a lot of sense for the Sixers. He’s a hometown guy as well.