The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers: Making the case for/against re-signing each free agent

By Stuart London

J.J. Redick, Mike Scott | Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
J.J. Redick, Mike Scott | Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Facing looming salary cap problems, the Philadelphia 76ers need to evaluate their roster using their head and not their heart. They have a lot of likable characters who try their best, but how attractive will the offers be from other teams?

It is a different sport, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ offseason strategy involving its own free agents is something General Manager Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers might want to look at.

Specifically, Howie Roseman & Co. are  not afraid to cut players who are good guys and have a lot of sentimental value, but make just too much money for salary cap purposes in relation to their performances.

What has happened, on more than a few times, is the Eagles end up with the player returning to the Birds’ Nest, albeit with a smaller paycheck and no grounds to complain about their role.

Just this offseason, two starters from the Eagles’ Super Bowl team, Timmy Jernigan and Stefan Wisniewski, were let go, only to be back by OTAs. Another Super Bowl participant, Vinny Curry, was back after being cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after the Eagles had let him go. Heck, the Eagles leading rusher last year, Warrington’s Josh Adams, was cut out of training camp, put on the practice squad (where any NFL team could have signed him) and back with the Eagles 17 days later.

Familiarity and fit in the coach’s philosophy are important in any team sport. When these players went to seek their fortune with other teams, no one was that interested, so they came back to Howie .

With 11 out of the 15 players who were on the active Sixers roster for Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors now without fully guaranteed contracts for next year, it is time for Brand and the basketball operations staff to sit down and go over every player who can leave.

Two questions the Sixers need to ask:

  1. Do we want them back?
  2. What is their value to other NBA teams and what are we willing to pay to keep them?

Let’s set aside the two big free agents, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler as their status will be endlessly hashed out. The Cliffs Notes version: The Sixers want them back, a lot of other teams want them too and they will probably have to offer max contracts to keep them.

Let us look at the other nine players on the Sixers’ playoff roster who are not contractually obligated to be with the Sixers next year: