9 Free agent targets with ties to new 76ers coach Nick Nurse
Free Agent No. 1: Fred VanVleet, Point Guard
One of the marquee free agents on the market this summer is point guard Fred VanVleet. The undrafted guard out of Wichita State went from role player to All-Star under Nick Nurse’s tutelage in Toronto, and there may be enough goodwill between the two for VanVleet to consider the 76ers in free agency.
Setting aside the money side of things, which would be complicated even after James Harden walks, what would the on-court fit look like? VanVleet come into the league as a pesky defensive guard with a good jump shot. He has blossomed into a shot creator who can hit jumpers off-the-catch and off-the-dribble. Defensively he’s not a lockdown point-of-attack guy any longer, but he is still a very solid option.
VanVleet would give the Sixers a co-star who can pair with Tyrese Maxey to provide a high-octane backcourt. His shot off-the-catch is still dynamic, so his movement around Joel Embiid would tear opponents apart. At just 6’1″ he and Maxey would be an undersized backcourt, but mixing in D’Anthony Melton would help with that.
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The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of decisions to make this summer, but Nick Nurse’s connections throughout the free-agent market could help them out. Deciding which of these free agents makes sense will be a difficult but ultimately rewarding task.