Here’s who the Philadelphia 76ers can still grab in free agency.
Free agency isn’t something that’s been heavily discussed amongst the Philadelphia 76ers fandom because the Sixers are in quite a tight cap situation so they can’t pursue any mega stars. However, there are still a few gaps in this roster that could be supplemented through free agency despite the lack of flexibility.
Hours after free agency started, Dwight Howard was signed to the Sixers on a veteran’s minimum, a surprise signing for most people. A positive surprise though, as the Sixers were in need of a backup center.
Before we get going with which players the Sixers should consider, I’ll briefly break down what we can and cannot do in terms of our financial situation.
We have non-bird rights to three players who are free agents this offseason. These players are, Ryan Broekhoff, Kyle O’Quinn, and Glenn Robinson III. With non-bird rights, the Sixers can offer any and all these players up to 120 percent of what they earned last season regardless of their cap situation.
Ryan Broekhoff and Kyle O’Quinn simply shouldn’t be re-signed, as it wouldn’t make sense with what the roster has and how these players have contributed this last season. It’s clear that GRIII was never willing to be moved to Philly so I don’t see him re-signing.
A more viable option is the Taxpayers’ Mid-Level Exception. As the Sixers are a luxury tax team, they basically have an extra $5.7 million to spend whether that’s on a single player or multiple player’s whose salaries add up this amount. Dwight Howard was signed on a veteran’s minimum so he doesn’t impact the mid-level exception.
Let’s get into some potential targets!
4. Kyle Korver
Seth Curry and Danny Green were great additions to the roster that I think we can all agree were positive acquisitions for the Sixers due largely to the shooting that they add as career 40 percent 3-point shooters at a high volume.
However, an NBA team in 2020 can never have too much shooting and Kyle Korver is one of the best ever. With the first four years of his career in Philadelphia, a retirement in Philly wouldn’t be the worst way to wrap it up. Especially when it’s clear to see the 76ers are fully committed to pursuing a championship as soon as possible and a ring would be a good way to end his career.
Korver would be a good veteran positioned towards the end of the rotation.
I’m confident he would be offered a veteran’s minimum which would be valued at about $2.6 million this season.
3. Alex Len
With Joel Embiid having played no more than 64 regular season games in a single season over the course of his career, a competent backup big is essential for the Sixers. With Norvel Pelle recently being waived, the gap at backup center was the biggest gap there was on this roster before the Sixers signed Dwight Howard.
While the acquisition of Howard does supplement this gap, a third option would still be useful. In fact, some would argue that Len would be the better option.
Alex Len would be a solid contributor as the center for the second unit. Whilst he is quite a raw player who has his flaws, the alternatives are limited and Len would at least be playable.
A move from Sacramento might not make so much for sense for his progression though. Especially if he’s sharing the bench minutes with Dwight Howard
Unfortunately, a Len contract would take up quite a large chunk of the $5.7 million that the Sixers have to spend and I predict he’d demand a contract similar to his deal with the Kings that had him earning just over $4 million last season.
2. Kent Bazemore
Kent Bazemore would be a great 3 and D wing player to add to the rotation. Where he brings the most value is the defensive end, guarding 1-3 and sporting a 7-foot wingspan.
After such an impressive rookie season from Thybulle, he would be selling high and could be used as a trade piece. Bazemore would be a good replacement defensively. In addition to his defense, Bazemore is also a good shooter, shooting 38.4 percent from 3 in his spell with the Kings and a decent scorer putting up 10.3 points per game in Sacramento.
He’s quite small for a forward in the NBA which can make him vulnerable defensively. He is also a subpar ball handler but Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton would pick up most of the ball handling responsibility for the second unit.
Bazemore would be worth around $4 million.
1. Dario Saric
Yet another potential Sixers return. Dario Saric would be a great addition to the Sixers rotation and his return would be widely celebrated Philadelphia fans. After a poor Mike Scott season, I would imagine trading him away is something that is being considered by Morey and the Front Office.
Saric would be good to stretch the floor at the 4 coming off the bench. He’s shot 35.8% from 3 in his career. He seemed to play very well with Ben Simmons, putting up the best numbers of his career in his 2017-18 season, scoring 14.6 points per game and shooting 39.3% from deep on just over 5 attempts a game.
Saric also played at the five occasionally in his time in Philadelphia so this could offer Doc Rivers some more flexibility with the rotation.
Where he falls short is his athleticism which limits him on the defensive end. Despite being tall enough, he has quite a small build for a power forward and this can lead to defensive mismatches.
Overall, he’s a skilled player who is loved by Philadelphians and could offer some leadership on the offensive end for the second unit.
I’m sure he’d expect the majority of the $5.7 million if not all of it.