Thanks to Tyrese Maxey, who is having his best season as a professional yet, the Philadelphia 76ers — almost by default — have one of the best backcourts in the NBA. That is more so the case given that he is joined by VJ Edgecombe, who has emerged as one of the brightest upstart young stars in the league in his rookie season.
Having said that, the 76ers do not have much after those two. Quentin Grimes has been disappointing for the most part in the present campaign while the front office prematurely parted ways with Jared McCain. As such, it is imperative for the front office to find this team another backcourt cog, specifically a point guard.
So far, the 76ers have done nothing but go with patchwork options to man the backup PG role. From having Grimes do the point guard duties to getting a natural forward like Trendon Watford fill the spot, the coaching staff has been strapped of real options. And no, Cam Payne is definitely not the long-term solution to this problem.
The 76ers badly need to sign a point guard in free agency
You would think that a team with this many shot creators would at least endeavor to snag a true and blue point guard, right? Well, that has not been the case for a couple of years already, yet the 76ers have been unable to do just that.
Even before the offseason begins, the front office should already have a big board of players who can fill the role without the team breaking the bank. Obviously, that is way easier said than done, but investing in the position should be a priority for the 76ers brain trust in free agency.
Philly relies on the individual brilliance of its players more than most teams, but having someone who can bring some stability on the floor will be a huge help to the coaching staff and the team’s overburdened stars. Maxey has made strides as a playmaker, but no one will be mistaking him for a real floor general.
The 76ers are being careful with their finances though, so they will need to look in areas that are often uncharted to get a cost-friendly solution to their point guard conundrum. Hopefully, the front office can pull off another under-the-radar signing in order to finally put a stop to this persistent issue they still have not been able to solve.