5 Philadelphia 76ers who may not return next season

3. Georges Niang

The Sixers signed Georges Niang with the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception. He’s in the final year of his contract, making roughly $3.5 million. That’s solid value for an important rotation piece, and it wouldn’t be shocking if another team convinced themselves to spend even more on Niang’s services.

For Philly in particular, however, it would be unwise to spend too much on Niang. He has been undeniably positive in the regular season, but he’s basically rendered unplayable once the playoffs arrive. He’s too immobile on defense to hang in competitive games against good teams.

The Sixers need shooters in Niang’s vein, so it would behoove them to keep him around if there’s no clear (and affordable) upgrade on the market. Niang has been the Sixers’ sixth or seventh-most important player all season. But again, that value is contained almost entirely in the regular season. The Sixers are — for now, at least — focused on the endgame.

Niang seems to love it in Philly and the fanbase returns the affection. His spunky attitude is something the Sixers have sorely lacked in years past and Niang is an important locker room presence. He’s vocal and he’s perpetually uplifting, which is made even more important by how un-vocal Philadelphia’s stars are. That said, any team willing to offer Niang more money is free agency would be a solid bet to pry him away.