Free agency has not yet officially opened, but teams have started to strike handshake deals with their own impending free agents, although the Philadelphia 76ers have yet to do that as of writing.
Teams vying for a strong bid in the 2025-26 season like the Cleveland Cavaliers, however, seem to be wasting no time. Shortly after being on the receiving end of one of the most bizarre trades in recent memory, the Cavs racked up another win, coming to terms with Sam Merrill on a new four-year, $38 million contract to stay with the franchise.
Merrill was a key player for the top-seeded Cavs last season and was projected to hit the open market as one of the better low-cost floor spacers in the league. However, that is no longer the case, and what this does is to stick to the 76ers’ face something they should have known all along and should know moving forward.
The 76ers face a bitter truth in free agency
Philadelphia badly needs three-point shooting next season, and they have no other way to acquire that solution but to move the needle this summer to that effect. However, the 76ers have little spending power, while the market value for three-point shooters has become quite lucrative.
Even at such a low cost, the Merrill contract was something the 76ers could not have afforded without sapping their entire financial outlook this year. Pure three-point shooters like him who can hit shots on the fly and keep defenders honest have become a prized commodity for quite some time now.
At this rate, it would be highly improbable for the 76ers to snag someone of that archetype for cheap. They do have some options to cope with their financial constraints, such as keeping Eric Gordon, although that is clearly far from ideal.
Philly registered as one of the least effective three-point shooting teams in the association for the last couple of seasons. In 2024-25, the 76ers clocked in as one of the worst shooting ball clubs when it comes to makes, attempts, and percentage — a death sentence for a team flocked with stars.
For now, the Philadelphia 76ers front office has to double down on finding solutions from the least flocked areas such as in the pool of undrafted players or during the summer league. That way, they can perhaps take a flier on a prospect who has the potential to be a good three-point shooting role player.