There’s more pressure than ever to build a winner around Joel Embiid. The Sixers will once again find themselves watching the conference finals from home. For a team with one current MVP candidate and one former MVP, anything short of a championship will be viewed as a disappointment.
Philadelphia has a slew of potential free agents in the summer of 2022. Some of more notable stature (James Harden), and some who of virtually unknown to the fanbase. In this article, I will cast my vote — Yea or Nay — on whether the Sixers should bring back each player.
Let’s start with the bottom of the roster.
Should the Sixers bring back Charles Bassey?
Charles Bassey‘s contract is partially guaranteed for next season. The former second-round pick should absolutely stick around. He showed immense promise in the G-League and even flashed his potentially ever-so-briefly at the NBA level. He’s a monster athlete and should, in this writer’s opinion, be locked in as the third-string center behind Joel Embiid and Paul Reed.
The big question with Bassey is whether or not Doc Rivers is willing to invest earnestly in his development. He is 21 years old and will soon enter free agency. Does Rivers actually see what he has in the former five-star recruit, or does he banish Bassey to another season of dominant but unrewarded G-League play?
We can only wait and see. Doc Rivers and the Sixers’ front office will discuss team needs and goals ahead of the NBA Draft and free agency. With at least a couple roster spots set to open up, do the Sixers pursue another veteran center, or is the focus (correctly) on finding more wing depth? Bassey should get his time to shine next season, but it’s far from guaranteed.
Final vote: YEA