Sixers: Best free agent target of each Western Conference playoff team
The Philadelphia 76ers are now in the offseason after a disappointing series loss to the Miami Heat. The Sixers didn’t get any contributions from anyone in the Game 6 loss with Joel Embiid playing injured.
James Harden didn’t look like his former MVP self. Young guard Tyrese Maxey had his ups and downs. Tobias Harris was solid but couldn’t create enough offense to make a difference. Due to the coaches and players failing in the playoffs, the front office now has to start preparing for the offseason now that the season is over for Philly.
This article will be covering the best free agent option on each Western playoff team, just like my previous article covering the East playoff bracket. This article will be ordered by the team’s respective playoff rankings, and players with player options on their contracts won’t be included on this list.
light. Trending. Best free agent target of each Eastern Conference playoff team
Best free agent target of each Western Conference playoff team: Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzles.
When formulating this article, I originally had JaVale McGee as the free agent target from the Phoenix Suns. However, with the way that Paul Reed has stepped up in the playoffs, the Sixers don’t have a hole on the center depth chart anymore as Christopher Kline of The Sixer Sense recent wrote on.
Instead, I have former lottery Elfrid Payton as the prime target of the 76ers’ front office. The Philadelphia 76ers need to solidify their point guard depth behind James Harden and Tyrese Maxey. Shake Milton isn’t really a point guard so going for a pass-first point guard who’s good on defense like Payton makes sense.
The Memphis Grizzlies don’t have many free agent options. Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones will cost too much for the Sixers to pursue. That leaves Jarrett Culver who has been a bust up to this point despite being a lottery pick just three years ago.
Culver is an athletic win with length with defensive instincts. The issue is that he’s so horrendous on offense that it’s made him unplayable for the Grizzlies this past season. However, the 76ers lack athleticism so he’s a low-risk player who’s still young enough at 23-years-old that he could turn things around.