The Philadelphia 76ers have already done a slew of flashy and well-received moves this offseason, but the job for the front office is far from over. The ongoing pause will still subsist for months, and it is incumbent upon the new-look brain trust to make the roster as foolproof as possible ahead of a season where the team has everything to prove.
As such, further reinforcing their big man rotation will be key. To that effect, one name the 76ers should take a closer look at is center Nick Richards. The 28-year-old started the past season with the Suns before he was shipped away at the trade deadline to the Bulls. However, it seems like Chicago's brass is not even budging with their free agent, opening the window for Philly to scoop him up and seize him for themselves.
In 14.6 minutes per outing in 2025-26, Richards turned in 5.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks a night. Those are respectable figures for someone who did not really bag a consistent role all year long until the Bulls were already trying to actively lose games. Hence, the 76ers should dip their fingers into this unexplored front.
The 76ers could target Bulls big man Nick Richards in free agency
Joel Embiid will still be missing a considerable number of games next season not necessarily due to actual injuries, but because the 76ers have to sit him out at times. That makes it incumbent upon the team to have solid depth insurance behind the former MVP, lest they risk continuing their history-backed incompetence without the superstar center on the hardwood.
For now, the 76ers have a bunch of young guys to help bolster the cushion at center, but none of those players are definitive options as go-to backups. For now, the more options the coaching staff has, the better. That is where Richards could come in and give the team a different look at center.
With the 76ers losing Andre Drummond in free agency, the team lost a big man who is physically imposing down low. Richards, while not as prolific as Drummond, still takes up a lot of space inside which can help the team overcome the rebounding woes that have plagued them in recent years.
The added vertical spacing with Richards is also quite welcome. The 76ers need players who can finish lobs with so much attention already lodged on their stars, so an athletic big man like Richards will be a good option to have.
The 76ers have already won the offseason, but there is still room for further victory. Hence, they should not just let the opportunity to sign someone like Nick Richards, who can be had for cheap, just pass them by.
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