The Philadelphia 76ers currently have a full roster with 15 players on standard NBA deals and three others on two-way deals. Having said that, the fact that they have no open roster spots at the moment should not preclude them from seeking better options out in the market and being accordingly opportunistic, especially with the playoff race starting to get tighter with each passing game.
Heck, there might just be a former All-Star available for taking in the buyout market. According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the Dallas Mavericks are leaving it up to Khris Middleton to decide whether he wants to finish the season with them or to have his contract bought out to join a playoff team before the March 1 deadline.
So far, there has been a complete lack of linkages between the two, but the 76ers are one of the teams that make the most sense for Middleton, who won a championship with the Bucks in 2021. Injuries have accelerated his decline, but under the right role, he should still be more than serviceable enough to be an impactful role player for a title aspirant.
The 76ers could go after Khris Middleton if he gets bought out
A three-time All-Star known for his midrange scoring and uncanny prowess to hit timely shots in crunch time, Middleton can help a lot of playoff teams with his three-level scoring, which remains intact in spurts. His shooting splits have not been good for the last couple of years, but that can be tossed up to him not having a lot of continuity due to the injury bug.
The 76ers do not need more individual scorers, but Middleton is of a different ilk in that he is perfectly capable of playing without the ball in his hands. He is, after all, a potent spot-up shooter, and his shot creation is just a bonus at this point.
Philly would welcome having someone like Middleton play 16 to 20 minutes per game as the nominal backup to Paul George. So far, Justin Edwards and Trendon Watford have been inconsistent, which leaves an opportunity for the former All-Star to sniff the court even when the team is relatively healthy.
Of course, the 76ers will have steep competition for Middleton’s services, but at the very least, they have an ideal role tailor-made for him. Hopefully, they truly register interest in him given his seamless fit on the team, even if only hypothetically.