Kelly Oubre Jr. is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, and given how well he has played recently, the Philadelphia 76ers might be in serious danger of losing him in the offseason.
In a recent episode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst pointed out that there aren't a lot of two-way wings who are going to hit free agency this season, and because of that, Oubre might be a top target for many teams looking to bolster their rotation.
"Kelly Oubre, I know he's an imperfect player. He's an unrestricted free agent. ... There's not exactly a ton of two-way wings [in the upcoming free agency class]," Windhorst said.
Losing Kelly Oubre Jr. would be tough for the 76ers
The Kansas alum has missed a lot of time this season due to knee and elbow injuries, but when he's on the court, he's making an impact.
In 43 games this season (including 36 starts), Oubre has averaged 14.5 points, 5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 46.1% from the field and 35.8% from deep. He also plays with a lot of energy and effort on defense, playing the passing lanes, contesting shots, and being able to guard multiple positions.
Oubre is unlikely to ever be the best player on the court, especially in a playoff series, but his all-around game makes him a good fit with the 76ers (and unfortunately for them, it also makes him a good fit for a lot of teams around the league). Philadelphia would greatly benefit from keeping him around past this season, but as it stands, it seems like there might be a real sweepstakes for his services this summer.
If the 30-year-old leaves the 76ers in free agency, it wouldn't be the end of the world for them. His departure wouldn't be franchise-altering, and they still have a ton of talent outside of him. However, losing him would also mean losing a legitimate two-way wing who is a fantastic athlete and can score at all three levels (and is especially valuable at getting to the basket).
Plus, it would be hard for the 76ers to replace him. They don't have an immediate replacement on the team, and obviously, there aren't going to be a ton of options on the market either.
Philadelphia is postseason-bound and will look to make some serious noise. But the offseason is going to be here before it knows it, and what Oubre's future will look like will be one of the more important narratives for the team to follow.