Roster-building is not going to be easy for the Philadelphia 76ers, especially this year. Already hard-capped, the front office will have to make do with either re-signing their impending free agents, or coming to terms with veteran or under-the-radar commodities for cheap, short-term deals — aside from the draft, of course — to address the glaring defects on the squad.
That being the case, the 76ers have to maximize the fact that they have a slew of younger players on the roster who are still on rookie scale deals or relatively cheap contracts. In doing so, they will be able to make up for the fact that they have already exhausted their financial ammo.
Thus, the coaching staff must also be wise with investing opportunities in their young guns. Here are four players they should continue honing and two who should already be on their way out.
4 young players the 76ers should keep developing, 2 to move on from
Keep: Jared McCain
Jared McCain was the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year before he went down with an injury. He is expected to make a full recovery well before training camp, and given how impressive he looked in his brief rookie campaign, he should be on his way to becoming one of the most important players for Philly.
Keep: Justin Edwards
The 76ers found a huge gem in undrafted forward Justin Edward, who proceeded to have an eventful freshman year. The team badly needed depth at forward, and given their limited options, Edwards’ continuous development as a complementary three-and-D piece who can create his own shot when needed will be critical to their success.
Give Up: Ricky Council IV
Unfortunately for the incoming third-year guard, his sophomore campaign was marred by a lack of tangible growth offensively. Despite his flashes of brilliance as a stopper, his lack of value as an offensive piece makes him a depth insurance at best.
Keep: Adem Bona
The backup center spot remains an area of concern for the 76ers next season, but Adem Bona’s presence gives the team a buildable asset on that end. He has amazing laterals for his size, and his athleticism and high-efficiency finishing add new dimensions to the team’s offense and defense, moreso when he develops and polishes his game as a roll man.
Keep: Quentin Grimes
Grimes will be entering restricted free agency, meaning that the 76ers should still have sufficient control over his fate with the squad. While he is more tenured than the other players on this list, there is still a lot to unpack from the rising star, although incorporating his skill set without compromising his offerings when the team gets healthy could take some time.
Give Up: Jalen Hood-Schifino
The lone two-way player on this list, Hood-Schifino profiling as a recent first-round selection could sweeten the scent around him, but the 76ers should not hesitate to jump to another prospect the moment a better one comes out. And given how raw he still looks, there are bound to be many ahead of him.