Philadelphia 76ers: 5 small forwards free agent options in 2021
Welcome to the small forwards installment of the Philadelphia 76ers free agent evaluations. Like with the shooting guard segment of this articles series, players in this article will be solid to great 3-point shooters. However, some of these players will be considered good to very good defenders.
Despite being undersized at the position last season, the Sixers received very good play from their small forward depth. Danny Green was still a very good 3-and-D wing but is a free agent this offseason so his future is uncertain with the club. Matisse Thybulle was a second team All-Defensive player despite coming off the bench. Furkan Korkmaz and occasionally Isaiah Joe filled in at the role too and played well on offense.
Getting small forwards that can play multiple positions will be key to lineup flexibility moving forward.
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5 small forwards free agent options in 2021: Tony Snell
Tony Snell is one of the most unique players in the NBA. He’s a super effective shooter as he averaged 5.3 points on 56.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Yet, the 6-foot-6 small forward is either a stop-gap starter or barely in the rotation.
For his career, he’s averaged 6.4 points on 39.7 percent from the 3-point line. The question is why isn’t he taking more shots or have a bigger role? The answer is simple, outside of shooting standstill 3-pointers, Snell doesn’t provide much else on the floor.
Snell doesn’t move without the ball, he’s not a slasher, he can’t do anything off the dribble, and can’t create for others. He’s not a good defender either. However, with having a big man like Joel Embiid, all the Philadelphia 76ers would need for him to do is to take open 3-pointers as a fill-in starter or a reserver.
Despite coming off a season where he made $12.2 million in salary with the Atlanta Hawks, he won’t command close to that in the free agent market. The Sixers could get him for a veteran’s minimum and he’s a plug-and-play player that should fit fine without head coach Doc Rivers’ system.