Sixers: 5 bargain bin free agent targets

Sixers bargain bin free agent targets: Gorgui Dieng

Sixer fans had Gorgui Dieng on their radar last season, but he made the surprising choice to join San Antonio at the buyout deadline. With the Spurs drifting further and further from contention, Dieng could seek a new home — probably on a minimum contract, yet again.

Philadelphia has tried and failed to solve the backup center problem for years now. Dwight Howard was not the answer, and with his apparent hankering for the sunny shores of Southern California, a spot could conveniently open up for Dieng.

You will find no bigger Paul Reed supporter than I, but there’s a good chance Doc Rivers — ever the opponent of vision and creativity — would prefer a more traditional veteran backup to Embiid. Dieng fits the bill as a long, intelligent rim protector with enough modern flourishes (42.9 percent from 3-point range) to make the fit more palatable than Howard.

With or without Ben Simmons, the Sixers would benefit from a player with Dieng’s flexibility on offense. He can pick-and-pop for 3s, finish efficiently on rolls to the rim, and even make some nice passes on the move. He’s a slick and smooth backup, and better than his seemingly inevitably minimum contract might suggest.