The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be hellbent in trying to re-sign Kelly Oubre Jr. this offseason, but as expected, the market for the forward has become quite the robust one. To make things even tougher for the team, a new formidable foe has just entered the sweepstakes for the veteran with free agency having just begun.
As reported by NBA insider Marc Stein, the Indiana Pacers have emerged as a new suitor for Oubre in the open market. Last year's Eastern Conference champs are already gearing up for their comeback campaign and searching for a new catalyst for them off the bench, making their rumored pursuit of Oubre all the more intimidating for the 76ers.
Indiana, after all, can afford to sign Oubre. But more importantly, he will still be on track to get a major role with the Pacers should he head to the Circle City. Indy plays with a breakneck pace, something which the veteran will most likely be fond of given his electric scoring ability and his sheer athleticism.
The Pacers could very well ruin the 76ers' Kelly Oubre plan in free agency
Oubre arguably had his most impactful individual campaign this past season for the 76ers. While he has had better scoring years, his two-way ability has never been more pronounced than in 2025-26. Not only did he register a career-best mark from three-point range while being a reliable scoring option, but he was also the most trusty defender the team had all season long, especially in the playoffs.
The flashy forward has established himself as the perfect complementary player next to the team's fleet of stars, which makes it imperative that the front office keeps his services. However, he has a chance for a fresh start this summer, and a team like the Pacers can definitely pique his interest from a basketball perspective.
After shipping Bennedict Mathurin away at the trade deadline in February, Indiana now needs a high-end scoring option on their second unit. Oubre is certainly someone who can provide that, and unlike the former, he is much more reliable on the defensive end while likewise having more positional versatility.
The Philadelphia 76ers are definitely still in the running to win the Kelly Oubre Jr. bidding war. However, they are not alone on that island, and other teams (particularly the Pacers) will make sure that their quest to keep him in the city will be a challenging trek and not your usual marathon.
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