The Philadelphia 76ers have pretty much operated under the radar so far this offseason. However, that will undoubtedly change over the next few weeks with the expectation that James Harden will eventually get traded.
Short of something unexpected happening, the belief is that the return for Harden, despite Dary Morey’s reported aspirations, may not be fair value. In other words, there’s an expectation that the Sixers are going to get an underwhelming return for Harden. If that ends up being the case, the onus to keep the Sixers afloat near the top of the Eastern Conference will at least somewhat fall on internal development.
Discerning between players worth developing and investing in will be a priority for the Sixers over the next few months. We explore four young players that should be willing to continue developing and three that may have played out their time with the Sixers.
Young players Philadelphia 76ers should be willing to develop and/or give up on
Develop: Tyrese Maxey
For Tyrese Maxey, the decision is a no-brainer. He’s the team’s best young player on the roster and, aside from Joel Embiid, probably represents the team’s best trade asset at the moment. Maxey is still just 22 years old and is continually getting better. Coming off a season in which he averaged 20 points, four assists, and three rebounds per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent shooting from 3-point range, you can argue that he hasn’t even begun to hit his ceiling yet as a player.
If the Sixers were to trade Maxey, it would almost have to be for a star. Even then, there are hesitations from the front office in potentially doing so. For right now, Maxey is off-limits as he probably should be.
As blurry as the Sixers’ future may look at the moment, with the uncertainty revolving around James Harden, there’s no question that Maxey is going to play a big part in the team’s next 5-10 years. And the hope is that he becomes a star and one of the faces of the franchise.
Give up on: De’Anthony Melton
De’Anthony Melton was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a draft-day deal last NBA offseason. As a 3-and-D wing, the thought was that Melton would come in and help cure some of the depth issues that the Sixers were working through.
In a vacuum, Melton is a good player. He was a valuable contributor off the bench and even as a spot starter for the Sixers during his first season with the team. While on one hand, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if the team decided to keep him around, I’m not sure he’s a worthy investment for a team whose future is very much up in the air. He’s likely going to command a raise in free agency next summer and with some of the other younger options that the Sixers have on the roster already in the backcourt, perhaps they’d be open to moving on from Melton.
Melton is probably playing at his ceiling right now. He’s a good and productive role player. But you can argue that when a player has hit his ceiling, that’s the best time to begin finding a moment to move on. Especially for a team that is not on the verge of winning a title.
It’s something that the Sixers should at the very least discuss. If Philly does elect to move on from Melton, that shouldn’t be all that surprising.
Develop: Paul Reed
As a late second-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2020 NBA Draft, there weren’t a ton of expectations linked to Paul Reed. However, some of that has changed over the last few years as he’s become to blossom (a bit) in his development as a player. So much so, that he’s become a player that the Sixers can’t afford to give up on. Not yet.
It’s not just that the Sixers matched a three-year, $23 million offer sheet that Reed signed (with the Utah Jazz) which gives us an indication that they’re invested in the young big man, but it’s also the potential that he’s flashed during the first three years of his career. Reed emerged as the primary backup to Joel Embiid last year and that will continue to be the case this season.
At least for now, Reed seems to be part of the team’s young core. If he continues to show flashes of solid play when given the opportunity, you’d have to imagine that his role is only going to grow. The Sixers haven’t seen the best of Reed and that’s exactly what they’re betting on with his new contract.
Though, and somewhat interestingly, the Sixers did sign Mo Bamba as a bit of insurance at the center position.
Give up on: Furkan Korkmaz
During the 2016 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Furkan Korkmaz as an intriguing international wing prospect with potential. Before making the jump to the NBA in 2017, Korkmaz decided to play one more season overseas. After a shaky first couple of years with the Sixers once he finally made the jump, it appeared that Kokmaz found his footing in year three in which he averaged 10 points per game on 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Since then, however, Korkmaz has seen his role with the team diminish slowly but surely. Last season with the Sixers, Korkmaz only appeared in 37 games and averaged less than 10 minutes per contest. Heading into the final year of his contract with the Sixers, you can make the strong argument that it’s probably in the best interest of both sides to move on.
Not to mention that it was reported a few months ago that Korkmaz “requested” a trade from the Sixers. At least for now, Korkmaz is still on the roster. However, with the uncertainty that revolves around James Harden and potentially Tobias Harris, there’s at least a fair chance that he does end up being moved as part of either of those potential trade packages before the start of the season.
Develop: Jaden Springer
During the 2021 NBA Draft, Jaden Springer was considered a quite curious selection by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 28th overall pick in the first round. By all accounts, he was considered one of the riskiest first-round selections because of how raw of a prospect he was. On paper, there was a lot to like about the athletic 6-foot-4 guard. However, he was still very much a roll-of-the-dice type of selection.
It’s no surprise that through his first two seasons in the league, Springer hasn’t contributed much to the Sixers. Heading into year three, though, you can argue that he’s continued to show some signs of promise. In fact, in three games played in the Las Vegas Summer League this season, Springer averaged 22 points and four rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field. More often than not, he looked like one of the more promising players on the floor in summer league.
The question is, is he someone the Sixers should continue trying to develop over the next couple of seasons? For now, I’d lean yes. But if Philadelphia can’t figure out how to begin to incorporate him into a role this season, this answer could completely change next summer.
For now, Springer is talented enough of a player that you want to keep around.
Give up on: Mo Bamba*
In what ended up being a surprising signing, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to ink Mo Bamba to a one-year deal this offseason. You’d imagine that this signing was an insurance move at the backup center position (behind Joel Embiid) but it made even less sense after it was reported that the Sixers decided to keep Paul Reed too. In essence, especially with the contract that Reed signed, Bamba is starting the season as the third-string center.
I understand the Sixers are protecting against a possible Embiid injury or even an inconsistent stretch from Reed but even understanding all that, the Sixers investing a year in Bamba doesn’t add up. Bamba has had an interesting start to his career. He’s flashed the potential to be a consistent contributor throughout his career but aside from one extremely productive season in 2021-22, Bamba has struggled to find a consistent role.
I find it hard to believe that won’t be the case in Philadelphia this season. I never understood the signing when it happened and I don’t imagine he’s going to play enough for him to earn a second contract next season.
Develop: Terquavion Smith
The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t make a selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, but they did make a solid move (at least from a long-term potential standpoint) in signing Terquavion Smith to a two-way contract as an undrafted player. Smith is not a player that is going to contribute anytime soon but is worth investing time in developing.
During the NBA Summer League, Smith did flash on a few occasions. In five games, Smith averaged 14 points and five assists on 38 percent shooting from 3-point range.
It was actually a bit surprising that Smith didn’t get drafted considering how productive he was during his two seasons at NC State. During his final season with the Wolfpack before making the jump to the NBA, Smith averaged 18 points, four assists, and four rebounds per game. He did struggle with his offensive efficiency, but it’s hard to argue against his scoring prowess.
If the Sixers can develop Smith over the next couple of seasons to the point where he becomes a contributor off the bench, that’d be a huge win. He’s certainly a long-term investment and gives the team another possible future asset in the backcourt. At least for now, Smith seems like a worthwhile keeper.