76ers playoff scouting 2023: 3 Nets free agents to evaluate
The playoffs are about to begin the Philadelphia 76ers are about to face the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Fans will be focused on the games as they should be, but that doesn’t mean that the Sixers’ front office isn’t preparing for the offseason.
In terms of offseason flexibility, the 76ers won’t have much salary cap flexibility and so they will have to start scouting free agents asap. This first-round series will help with that evaluation heading into the summer.
It should be noted I write something similar for the Sixers’ first round opponent the Toronto Raptors last season. Unlike last year’s list, this one will include players who are probably out of Philly’s price range.
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Sixers playoff scouting 2023: Nets’ forward Yuta Watanabe
Out of all the players on this list, Yuta Watanabe is the most obtainable player in the Nets’ free agent. Despite coming off a career year averaging 5.6 points on 44.4 percent shooting from deep, he’s probably not going to garner that much value on the free-agent market.
Prior to this season, Watanabe was a fringe NBA player who has spent a good amount of his career on a two-way contract. Despite being 6-foot-9, he’s never been a good defender or rebounder.
Watanabe has found his role as a 3-point shooter shooting 39.0 percent. With Georges Niang getting ready to become a free agent, there’s a chance he could sign for more than what the 76ers could afford as he’s also having a career season for Philly.
The Japanese forward could fill the role of Niang if the Sixers’ current backup power forward leaves during free agent as both as similar strengths and weaknesses.